Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is laying out the reasons she believes her colleagues should back House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for speaker.
In a lengthy tweet thread on Tuesday, Greene wrote, “Being a conservative and antiestablishment, I used to criticize Kevin McCarthy a lot. In fact, I’ve criticized many people and still do because I’m so incredibly frustrated with what a failure our government is to our people. I firmly believe it’s our job to fix it.”
“Republicans will never fix anything when we say Never someone just because we don’t like them. To the Democrat’s credit, they don’t do that. And I’ve watched them pass incredibly horrible things the past two years, and the country is suffering and will suffer worse,” she continued.
we, Republicans will never fix anything when we say Never someone just because we don’t like them.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 20, 2022
To the Democrat’s credit, they don’t do that. And I’ve watched them pass incredibly horrible things the past two years, and the country is suffering and will suffer worse because
While the Georgia congresswoman praised Democrats for their “amazing ability to work together in-spite of their differences,” she called Republicans the “Party of Never” which is “ruining everything.”
“It’s also lying to the base about a ‘plan’ that doesn’t exist, no candidate, [and] no way of working that I refuse to be part of and silent about,” she added.
She went on:
I’m disappointed my friends would mislead the base and that’s a big reason why I’m speaking out. The Speaker is elected inside our conference that unfortunately for us conservatives is filled with too many moderates and it’s IMPOSSIBLE for a conservative to get 218 votes.
I’m disappointed my friends would mislead the base and that’s a big reason why I’m speaking out.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 20, 2022
The Speaker is elected inside our conference that unfortunately for us conservatives is filled with too many moderates and it’s IMPOSSIBLE for a conservative to get 218 votes.
She added, “risking the gavel [and] delaying everything just [because] they don’t like someone is not only selfish, it’s incredibly reckless and dangerous.”
Greene also stated she “learned” McCarthy has become more conservative over the last two years because “of the dangerous extreme nature of the Democrats.”
She then proceeded to list several of McCarthy’s priorities such as addressing the border and impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, “holding China accountable and protecting America in every way from Chinese fentanyl killing Americans,” and investigating “everyone and everything involved in Covid origins.”
Finally, she declared, “There is no other possibility that could realistically be Speaker that would have the courage to do this.”
“It’s time for my friends in the Never Kevin Caucus to stop lying to the base just [because] they don’t like Kevin McCarthy. They do not have a plan and there is no consensus candidate. Sabotaging the country for personal reasons is not brave or righteous, it’s selfish and foolish,” Greene added.
It’s time for my friends in the Never Kevin Caucus to stop lying to the base just bc they don’t like Kevin McCarthy.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 20, 2022
They do not have a plan and there is no consensus candidate.
Sabotaging the country for personal reasons is not brave or righteous, it’s selfish and foolish.
In October, Greene told The New York Times Magazine, “I think that to be the best Speaker of the House and to please the base, [McCarthy’s] going to give me a lot of power and a lot of leeway.”
“And if he doesn’t, they’re going to be very unhappy about it. I think that’s the best way to read that. And that’s not in any way a threat at all. I just think that’s reality,” she added.
While Greene is backing McCarthy for speaker, at least five House Republicans have declared their opposition to him. And at least a dozen others have signaled they are not committed to voting for him either.
Former President Donald Trump has also gotten involved and has been urging Republicans to back McCarthy.
However, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) — one of the “hard nos” — said on Monday, “If Donald Trump believes that Kevin McCarthy should be Speaker of the House, then Donald Trump is wrong.”
“President Trump is the leader of our movement, he sets the vision. But Donald Trump has not moved a single vote when it comes to the people considering how to cast their lot in the speaker’s race,” he added.
