House Democrats are quick to take steps to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene from committee duties

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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat plans to issue an ultimatum to House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy this week about Greene, a well-known source tells CNN. Hoyer is expected to tell McCarthy that Republicans have 72 hours to deprive Greene of her committee duties or Democrats will take the matter to the House.

CNN has contacted Hoyer’s office to request more details. Politico first reported the ultimatum from the House majority leader.

Democrats’ move could set a risky precedent if they follow a sitting congressman on the views expressed before serving as an elected official – and one that has the potential to one day be used against the party by Republicans.

The House Rules Committee will meet on Wednesday to pass a rule for a resolution to kick Greene from the House Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee.

The point: Even some within Trump's right want Marjorie Taylor Greene gone

The rule would apply to the procedures for the debate on the ground prior to the resolution to deprive Greene of her committee duties. It is the House Democrats’ first official step to oust Greene from her assignments.

A senior Democratic assistant told CNN on Monday that one of the concerns leading to a possible vote is the precedent it is setting.

While members agree that Greene’s embrace of conspiracy theories, her previous comments and actions, and the current lack of remorse are all grounds for McCarthy to back down her committee assignments, some are concerned about getting the floor before a vote could take it. lead Republicans to commit the same story against Democratic members if they control the House in the future.

Greene himself warned Monday that the precedent could be used against Democrats in the future. “If Democrats remove me from my committees, I can assure them that the precedent they are setting will be widely used against members on their side once we regain a majority after the 2022 election,” she tweeted.

It’s still possible that McCarthy could eventually make the call and save the House from holding the vote. But despite the ultimatum, he hasn’t specified how he will deal with Greene, and an assistant told CNN to speak to the congressman first.

“They need a face-to-face meeting,” said a McCarthy spokesman. The two are expected to talk this week, but it’s still not clear when.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the House will vote at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Greene and McCarthy are likely to meet around the time of the vote, although the exact timing is uncertain.

Last week, a spokesman for the House Republican leader called Greene’s comments “deeply troubling” after CNN’s KFile reported that Greene had repeatedly expressed support for the execution of prominent Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019 before he was elected to Congress. But most House Republicans are silent on the comments, even as Democrats have expressed growing outrage.

Hoyer’s move to issue an ultimatum suggests that Democratic leaders want to give McCarthy time to respond independently to Greene before pursuing a resolution in the House of Representatives.

“It is my hope and expectation that the Republicans will do the right thing and hold Rep. Greene accountable, and we will not have to consider this resolution. But we are willing to do this if necessary,” Hoyer said Monday. in a statement.

Marjorie Taylor Greene removes social media posts in the wake of previous controversial comments
In the past, stripping members of their committees was a phone call from the leadership of the same party. House Speaker John Boehner had told Rep. Tim Huelskamp of the House Agriculture Committee kicked out after repeatedly voting against the Agriculture Act, and McCarthy had Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Iowa, was removed from his committees after King made incendiary remarks.

But voting on the ground – while the house rules allow it – is an important step.

Greene has also faced backlash over recently resurfaced comments about the Parkland School shooting.
Students who survived the shooting in Parkland, Florida, and families of the victims have called for Greene’s resignation after comments surfaced showing she agreed with people saying the 2018 shooting was a “false flag.” surgery.

Greene now appears to be trying to reverse some of those views.

During an interview with One America News on Monday, Greene said she doesn’t think such shootings are fake.

“These aren’t red flag incidents; they’re not fake. And it’s a terrible loss these families and their friends are going through. And it should never happen. And it doesn’t have to happen if we were to properly protect our children. ” she said.

At least 50 House Democrats have also called for Greene to be removed from Congress, while others are demanding that she be censored or punished after some of her inflammatory comments came to light.

This story was updated on Monday with additional developments.

CNN’s Lauren Fox contributed to this report.

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