Johnson seeks to unite GOP factions amidst escalating tensions in party ranks
Speaker Johnson faces mounting tension within GOP ranks as hardliners, led by Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, challenge his leadership Internal feuds on display as spending issues pose potential headaches
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was angered by the new speaker and GOP lawmakers for foiling her attempts to force a vote on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. She also expressed concern about a "very serious situation" involving an unnamed male Republican colleague, but did not provide further details.
She usually would walk right into former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's office and quickly get the results she needed. However, Greene has found it more challenging to connect with Speaker Mike Johnson, as they do not have a strong relationship. Despite Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, promising to call her before the holiday break to address her concerns, Greene has not heard from him. "I haven't received much communication from him," Greene informed CNN earlier this week.
Before another contentious vote, Greene and Johnson connected on Thursday to discuss her plan to remove Mayorkas. After their conversation, Greene decided to temporarily withdraw her impeachment resolution against Mayorkas, as Johnson assured her that the articles would proceed through committee and to the floor. This previously unreported interaction highlights Johnson's efforts to manage the hardliners within his conference, a necessary skill in leading a narrow majority, particularly after the expulsion of former Rep. George Santos. Johnson has followed his predecessors' example by offering commitments and time to potential critics, but the success of this strategy has been inconsistent so far.
GOP Rep. Max Miller publicly criticized Johnson's recent decision on an Israel aid package. The speaker attempted to schedule a meeting with the freshman lawmaker to resolve the issue, but Miller has refused, stating that he is "very upset." Sources familiar with the situation provided this information.
"I've decided not to speak to him right now. He's busy with other matters, and until he proves himself as a leader, I won't spend time sitting down with him," Miller stated.
When asked to grade Johnson's performance, he responded with a "D-minus. I've lost a lot of faith in him so far."
Texas Representative Chip Roy, a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, has persistently caused issues for Republican leaders with his vocal criticism. He has questioned the accomplishments of his own party since gaining the majority. When asked how Johnson has attempted to address the situation, Roy told CNN, "We are still in discussions. The main question here is what will ultimately be achieved, but we will have to wait and see."
In other cases, Johnson has successfully managed to calm down some of the most vocal rebels within the party, showing that the speaker, hailing from the conservative wing himself, has the ability to achieve what McCarthy could not. Republican Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, who spearheaded the effort to remove McCarthy as speaker, was one of the individuals personally urging Johnson to approve subpoenas for Hunter and James Biden and to publicly release the footage from the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to sources familiar with the situation. These initial actions by Johnson received prompt approval from Gaetz and the right-leaning faction.
GOP Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, indicated this week that they are no longer insisting on the $1.47 trillion topline spending number they had sought all summer. Instead, they are now open to the $1.59 trillion figure agreed to in the bipartisan debt limit deal, which infuriated conservatives and played a role in McCarthy's removal. The caucus had held the House hostage until McCarthy agreed to back off the deal and pursue even deeper cuts, a move that has contributed to the current impasse on government spending in Congress.
"Undoubtedly, some members of the Freedom Caucus allowed their animosity towards Kevin McCarthy to influence their judgment, and this miscalculation weakened the Republican Conference, making it more difficult for us to achieve conservative victories," stated Rep. Dusty Johnson, a Republican from South Dakota. "So, yes, this McCarthy derangement was real."
GOP Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma admits, "It's always a challenge here, regardless of who the speaker is."
"We have a lot of diverse personalities and viewpoints within the conference," he explained to CNN. "But I'm impressed with how effectively he's managing it."
Internal feuds on full display
Johnson has faced a major obstacle in managing the conflicts within his deeply divided party, as members have engaged in public battles following McCarthy's surprising removal.
Greene has proven to be a challenge for Johnson, openly criticizing her Republican peers and utilizing procedural strategies to prompt a string of floor votes on controversial matters. These tactics have not been well-received by her colleagues and have led her to become increasingly isolated within the GOP. "It's not appropriate. She's not a team player," stated Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican representing a district in Nebraska that was won by President Joe Biden in 2020, in an interview with CNN. "It's all about personal agendas. We have a speaker, a chairman, for a reason. We should honor their authority."
Following her unsuccessful effort to push for a vote on impeaching Mayorkas, Greene criticized GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California on social media, using emojis to question his allegiance with Democrats in defeating the motion.
In response, Issa declined to comment on the effectiveness of Greene's tactics, saying, "That's really a question for the speaker. It's a question for the majority leader. It's a question for the whip."
When asked if he considered her to be a productive member, Issa smiled and responded, "Well, she does get a lot done." Greene also criticized GOP Rep. Tom McClintock of California for delivering a floor speech this week criticizing her tactics on impeachment as "reckless" and "shooting from the hip."
McClintock urged his colleagues not to diminish a lawful impeachment inquiry with overly partisan and hysterical rhetoric, as reported by CNN.
Greene, who was previously removed from the Freedom Caucus for being too closely aligned with McCarthy, frequently criticized Roy for his opposition to her resolution to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest, which Greene labeled as an "insurrection" in her resolution.
Greene, whom McCarthy sought to rein in the congresswoman's behavior, expressed no remorse for her conflicts with colleagues, indicating she has no plans to back down.
"I want to make it clear that I didn't come here to be everyone's friend," Greene stated. She also invited upset Republicans to discuss the issues with her at their convenience.
"I believe it's important for us to fulfill the promises we made to our voters by taking action, rather than just talking tough during the campaign and then failing to follow through," Greene stated in an interview with CNN.
Additionally, there is discontent with Johnson and the leadership for voting against expelling Santos, despite the lack of pressure from GOP leaders to vote a certain way and the encouragement for members to vote based on their own beliefs.
"This is just another example of Republicans who cant lead. And thats really shameful," Miller said. "The speaker and everyone in leadership knows that this man is a crook."
Hardliners could still create headaches on spending
The far right has indicated a willingness to compromise on some of their spending demands, but funding will continue to be a challenging issue for Johnson in the coming months. In a previously unreported conference meeting on Thursday morning, the House GOP discussed their strategies for upcoming spending issues, including how to address the White House's push for an Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and border security package.
GOP Representative Bob Good of Virginia stated that the Freedom Caucus has clearly communicated their expectations to the speaker on Thursday. This includes keeping aid for Israel and Ukraine separate, a plan to cut spending and secure the border, and a commitment not to attach a reauthorization of a controversial surveillance program to the annual defense bill.
"It has been an effective effort in the conference this morning, and in subsequent meetings that took place after the conference, to communicate to the leadership what red lines to put in place," Good told CNN.
Attendees reported that Roy expressed his frustrations during the closed-door conference meeting, with California Rep. Mike Garcia noting, "I think everyone's on edge right now, frustration levels are higher. So we need to come together as a team regardless of how frustrated we are."
Before Thanksgiving, Roy delivered a passionate speech on the House floor, urging his GOP colleagues to name one accomplishment since regaining the House majority. His comments angered Republican lawmakers and gave Democrats ammunition. This week, Roy stood by his stance and organized a "power hour" of speeches to air his grievances. He made it clear that his grievances are not personal.
Roy informed CNN that Mike is one of the most outstanding individuals he knows - a good man with conservative views. He added that whoever holds the position should be capable of handling the responsibilities and challenges effectively, and expressed confidence that Mike will be able to handle it.
