Marjorie Taylor Greene responds to McCarthy criticism: ‘I’m a realist’

[ad_1]

A clip of Georgia MP Marjorie Taylor Greene denying having made a deal to back Kevin McCarthy as House Leader has emerged online.

During her Dec. 1 interview on The Jenna Ellis Show, Greene said she didn’t have to “compromise” anything to back the California Rep to become Speaker of the House when Republicans take over. room check in January.

Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia answers questions outside the House steps as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy holds a press conference on November 17, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Republican representative said she made no compromises to support McCarthy. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Greene was asked by Ellis, a lawyer for Donald Trump, if there was a “win-win” between the two for McCarthy to gain the support of Congresswoman MAGA. Ellis also asked Greene if she shared concerns from some GOP factions that McCarthy is a “RINO.” [Republican in name only]”Who won’t keep his promises.

“First, let me say that I didn’t compromise anything. Nothing changed about me and I had no deal to make to support Kevin McCarthy,” Greene said.

“I’m a realist. And so I make my decision based on what’s actually realistic, not what we wish or fantasize about in Congress.”

Greene then urged fellow Republicans to support McCarthy because “none of the investigations we want to do can begin” until they elect a House leader.

“Nothing can happen until we elect a speaker on January 3. And I think it’s our job as representatives of the people to pull ourselves together and show the American people that Republicans can lead the majority. and that we are ready to do so. ”, she added.

A snippet of the interview was uploaded by Patriot Takes’ Twitter account, where it has been viewed over 11,000 times.

The GOP will enter the new term of Congress with a narrow majority of 222 to 213, meaning McCarthy has only a small margin of error to secure the 218 votes needed to be elected Speaker of the House.

Five House GOP members—Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Ralph Norman (RS.C.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mt.) and Bob Good (R-Va)—have have previously said they suggested or signaled they wouldn’t vote for McCarthy in January, making Greene’s support even more vital for him.

In an October interview with The New York Times, Greene said any Speaker of the House should give him “a lot of power and a lot of leeway” to “please” his far-right and MAGA base.

“And if he doesn’t, they’re going to be very upset,” Greene said. “I think that’s the best way to read it. And it’s not a threat in any way. I just think it’s reality.”

Greene’s interview on The Jenna Ellis came before she was heavily criticized for suggesting the January 6 insurrection would have succeeded if she had organized it and ‘had been armed’ .

Greene defended his remarks by suggesting that the White House “needs to learn how sarcasm works.”

A number of prominent Democratic figures have tried to link McCarthy to Greene’s remarks, suggesting the couple’s alliance is a sign of the GOP’s extreme future.

“Marjorie Taylor Greene just said if she had organized Jan. 6, ‘she would have been armed’. This is who Kevin McCarthy wants to empower if he becomes Speaker of the House,” the Democrats tweeted.

Newsweek has contacted McCarthy for comment.

[ad_2]