US congresswoman files motion to oust House speaker

WASHINGTON

A Republican member of Congress on Friday filed a motion to oust US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson over a recent spending bill.

"We have to find a new speaker of the House," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told reporters outside of the Congress.

Her remarks came right after the House passed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill with more support from Democrats to prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend, as votes from House Republicans were not enough to pass the bill.

Following a 286-134 vote, the House sent the package to the Senate hours before the deadline to avert a government shutdown. The Senate is expected to quickly take up the package. President Joe Biden previously said he will "immediately" sign the bill.

"We need a speaker of the House that actually represents the people. This is the people's house. This is not Washington, DC’s house," she said.

Johnson is a "very good" man, she said, adding: "I have respect for him as a person but he is not doing the job. The proof is in the vote count today. He passed a budget that should’ve never been brought to the floor."

The country is in crisis, she said and added: "We need real leaders that know how to fight but ... don’t get rolled by the Democrats and don’t get rolled into doing whatever it takes to maintain that power and position."

Greene said she has not talked to former President Donald Trump about her move.

Johnson took the post of House speaker after Kevin McCarthy was ousted for the same reason Greene has Johnson in her sights: He cooperated with Democrats to pass necessary bills, such as ones to avoid a government shutdown.

McCarthy took office after bowing down to demands from Republicans that make it unusually easy to oust the speaker from office, and paid the price: He was the only House speaker to ever be ousted.

Many Republican members of the House caucus reject any cooperation or compromise with Democrats, but this refusal means the votes of Democrats are needed to pass any legislation, including votes to fund the government, known on Capitol Hill as bills to “keep the lights on.”