National

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives escaped thanks to votes from his opponents

May 09, 2024

Washington [US], May 8: On May 8, the US House of Representatives quickly quelled Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene's attempt to take away the House Speaker's gavel from Mike Johnson, a member of this party.
Democratic congressmen joined with Republican members to defend Mr. Johnson's leadership position in the US House of Representatives , with a vote of 359 votes in favor - 43 votes against, according to Reuters. This result helps prevent a repeat of the chaos that occurred last year when Mr. Johnson's predecessor was overthrown.
The vote took place after Ms. Greene filed a "motion to disqualify" Mr. Johnson, an action that could cause him to lose the chair of the House of Representatives similar to how his predecessor Kevin McCarthy had to leave his seat bitterly in September. October 2023.
Ms. Greene's move is also a rare challenge from the Republican side to former US President Donald Trump, who said that now is "not the time" for the party to try to disqualify the speaker of the House of Representatives in a post. on social networks on May 8.
"I appreciate the confidence my colleagues have shown in quashing this misguided effort... Hopefully this is the end of the reputation destruction that has characterized the current parliament at," Mr. Johnson said after the vote.
Previously, standing next to Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, Ms. Greene criticized Mr. Johnson for a series of compromises with the Democratic Party, the minority faction in the US House of Representatives but in control of the country's Senate.
"Excuses like 'this is simply how you have to operate in a divided government' are pathetic, weak and unacceptable... Even as Republicans hold a slim majority Like rice leaves, we can at least protect the border," Ms. Greene said.
But the House floor erupted with boos as Ms. Greene read her resolution, with Democrats at times chanting "Hakeem, Hakeem," a reference to their leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Mr. Johnson angered many hard-liners in the Republican Party in the House of Representatives by helping pass budget bills to maintain the operations of the US federal government, as well as support Washington's allies. including Ukraine, without requiring strict security measures on the US-Mexico border that Democrats have rejected.
The situation has strengthened the position of Mr. Jeffries, who agreed to keep the chairmanship for Mr. Johnson after helping the US Congress escape Republican infighting by providing important support from the Republican Party. Democrats on must-pass bills.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper