Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida of placing the GOP in a “seriously weakened position” following the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on Saturday, saying that Gaetz’s actions led to the historic vote that removed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
McCarthy was ousted from his position last week after striking an agreement with Democrats to avert a partial government shutdown.
The ongoing catastrophe in Gaza has heightened the need for a House Speaker.
Gaetz’s motion to vacate set off the removal vote, which was approved 216–210.
Democrats were joined in supporting the motion by eight Republican lawmakers: Gaetz, Arizona’s Andy Biggs, Colorado’s Ken Buck, Tennessee’s Tim Burchett, Arizona’s Eli Crane, Virginia’s Bob Good, South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, and Montana’s Matt Rosendale.
Rep. Greene discussed the GOP’s current situation in an interview on FOX News Channels’ Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo, where she also criticized the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy.
In the news: 9 Americans Confirmed Killed In Israel-Hamas Conflict
“I want to remind everyone that we barely control the majority of the House, and that’s only one-third of the federal government,” Greene said. “What happened last week, I completely disagree with. It was eight Republicans joining with all the Democrats in the House and basically throwing the gavel on the floor and saying it’s now up for grabs for everyone that wants it,” she said.
“This is not a serious thing to do when you control the House of Representatives. No matter how you feel about Kevin McCarthy, I can tell you I was getting things accomplished, because through Kevin McCarthy I was able to get the Ukraine money taken out of the defense bill ,” she said. “I also got an impeachment inquiry launched, and that was because I urged him to do it.”
Though Greene expressed concern about the current state of affairs, she also stated that she desires “change in Washington,” noting that the GOP’s hold on the Senate, the House, and the White House is the only path to change.
Previously, the Trump-supporting congresswoman disagreed with conservatives like Gaetz regarding McCarthy’s January election, which came about only after fifteen voting rounds and with Greene’s backing. It cost Greene her membership in the Freedom Caucus because of the ensuing enmity between her and her fellow members.
“What happened to Israel could happen to America,” Greene said, drawing a parallel between the decades-long tension in the region and the problem of illegal immigration in the United States. He was directly referring to the Hamas attack.
The United States, according to Greene, “has been invaded by millions of people from over 160 countries, we’ve been invaded by people we don’t even know where they are.”
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