Matt Gaetz worries House may “end up with a Democrat” speaker after MTG files to oust Mike Johnson

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Friday filed a motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson as the House voted to avoid a government shutdown, NBC News reports.

Greene did not file the motion as privileged, which would force a vote within two days, but could notice it as privileged after the House returns from a two-week recess on April 9. Greene said she filed the motion because Johnson forced a vote on multiple continuing resolutions and funding bills to keep the government running.

“This is a betrayal of the American people. This is a betrayal of Republican voters,” Greene told reporters.

“I filed the motion to vacate today but it’s more of a warning and a pink slip ... I do not wish to inflict pain on our conference and to throw the House in chaos but this is basically a warning and it’s time for us to go through the process, take our time, and find a new speaker of the House,” she said.

Raj Shah, a spokesman for Johnson, told NBC News the speaker’s focus is "on governing. He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority."

Johnson was elected speaker after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted by a far-right group led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. But Gaetz said he would not support Greene’s motion.

“If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat.  When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with the Democrat speaker. And I was right. I couldn’t make that promise again,” he told reporters.

“We’d have Republicans cross over. I worry that we’ve got Republicans who would vote for Hakeem Jeffries at this point,” he added. “I really do. I take no joy in saying that. But you can only vacate the speaker if you know that the party leadership won’t change hands. I knew that with certainty last time. I don’t know it with certainty this time.”