The head Johnson and House Speaker is looking at his first full week of House activity. Lawmakers last week moved to force votes on three expulsion and censure resolutions, giving leadership no choice but to act on the measures within two legislative days. Action could start as early as today.
George Santos is facing 23 charges including charging his donors’ credit cards without authorization. Set to go to trial in September 2024, a group of New York republicans have forced Johnson’s hand to force a vote on expulsion.
The bloc of New York Republicans suggested they would vote against delaying a vote on the resolution, a sign that the GOP conference will not remain united as it did in May. With Democrats expected to vote against any stall tactics, the GOP support could be enough to defeat them.
Marjorie Taylor-Greene forced a vote to censure Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
Greene accuses Tlaib of “antisemitic activity” and “sympathizing with terrorist organizations.” She also accuses Tlaib of “leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol Complex” after a protest in a Capitol office building last month in support of an Israel-Hamas cease-fire. Tlaib was not present at the protest, according to a source, but she did participate in a separate rally that called for a cease-fire.
Tlaib has received criticism from some Democrats over her remarks about the conflict, but the censure coming from Greene may have some influence on their votes.
Following Greene’s move to censure Tlaib, Democratic Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont filed a resolution to censure Greene, and aired a laundry list of about 40 controversial comments from Greene. Balint included Greene’s stunt during a House hearing that included Hunter Biden dick pics.
“The fact that on the very first day of his leadership, he lets Marjorie Taylor Greene bring to the floor a resolution that is riddled with lies and falsehoods on my colleague, it won’t stand,” she told reporters. “This woman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, it seems to be her only purpose is to sic Americans after other Americans, to fan more hatred, to fan more dissension and fear-mongering, and we have got to have a bottom here.”