Marjorie Taylor Greene Blasts Speaker Johnson Over SAVE Act Plan, Calls for Bipartisan Action
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) took an unexpected turn on Tuesday by urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to collaborate with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. This comes as Johnson pushes for the inclusion of the SAVE Act, a controversial measure aimed at tightening voting requirements, in a bill to keep the government funded.
Johnson, in a statement, called for Republican support to prevent noncitizens from voting, a central piece of the SAVE Act, which would require a birth certificate or passport for voters to cast a ballot. However, Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden have already vowed to reject this provision.
“I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of this country rightfully demand and deserve—prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections,” Johnson wrote in his plea to Congress. Shortly after, Greene took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express her frustration with Johnson’s strategy, accusing him of deceiving the GOP base.
“This is classic bait and switch that will enrage the base, only one month before the election when they find out they have been tricked and let down again,” Greene wrote. She warned that Johnson’s move would force a government shutdown on October 1st because President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are adamant in their opposition to the SAVE Act, told VOX.
Greene did not hold back, further criticizing Johnson’s leadership, stating, “Johnson is leading a fake fight that he has no intention of actually fighting.” She argued that even if there were a shutdown, it would be too late for the SAVE Act to impact the upcoming election, given that absentee ballots and early voting would already be underway.
The Georgia congresswoman emphasized her unwillingness to mislead the public: “I refuse to lie to anyone that this plan will work, and it’s already DOA this week.” Greene concluded her criticism by calling on Johnson to seek bipartisan cooperation to avert the shutdown: “Speaker Johnson needs to go to the Democrats, who he has worked with the entire time, to get the votes he needs to do what he is already planning to do.”
Greene’s strong stance highlights growing tensions within the Republican Party as the government shutdown deadline looms, with differing opinions on how to best navigate the legislative roadblocks ahead.
