Congressman Buddy Carter called Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s failed motion to vacate U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson “the last thing we need right now.”
Greene, a Republican from Rome, filed a motion to vacate the speakership back in March. But she didn’t force a vote on the House floor until earlier this week to remove Johnson, another Republican.
It ultimately failed, as Democrats joined Republicans, voting 359-43 to table the motion to vacate.
“It does get in the way with us doing our regular business,” said Carter, a Republican from St. Simons Island. “We just need to focus on delivering conservative victories for the rest of this session.”
No other Republican from Georgia voted with Greene on her motion. In fact, the only lawmaker from the state who sided with the far-right congresswoman was a liberal Democrat, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams.
Carter told the hosts of “Politically Georgia” on Friday that Greene angered fellow Republicans.
“I like Marjorie,” Carter said. “We’re friends and I have a lot of respect for her. I think it was ill-advised. I don’t think she should have done this, but she did it.”
If the motion to remove Johnson had passed, the U.S. House would have needed to table all business until the role was filled, as the chamber did in October after the historic ousting of Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
“Last October was a grind. It was not good at all that we were without a speaker for three weeks,” Carter said.
“The vast majority of Americans just want to see Congress function. People are really struggling right now,” Carter said. “The price of food, the price of gas and the inflation, the way it is, they’re upset.”
On Monday on “Politically Georgia”: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell discuss the latest headlines.
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