A lot of people are wondering why the House has only gone as far as booting Marjorie Taylor Greene off her committee seats. But looking at the way it played out, it’s hard not to conclude that the Democrats are moving slowly but surely toward harsher discipline—including censuring her or even expelling her.
If you’ll remember, Kevin McCarthy was more than willing to take Greene off the Education Committee. After all, that was the committee assignment that drew the loudest hackles from Democrats. But Steny Hoyer turned the offer down out of hand.
Earlier in the day McCarthy sought a commitment from Hoyer during a Wednesday call to yank the resolution from the floor if Republicans agreed to move Greene from the House Education Committee to the Small Business panel. The Georgia Republican also serves on the House Budget Committee.
But Hoyer swiftly shot down the idea, saying the House will vote Thursday on a measure to boot Greene from all of her congressional panels.
“She has placed many members in fear for their welfare. And she has attacked and made incendiary remarks prior to but also during her term as a member of Congress,” Hoyer told reporters Wednesday. “We believe she also gave a comfort to those who led an insurrection” on Jan. 6.
Considering Hoyer’s choice of words, one has to wonder—was kicking Greene off her committee slots just a preliminary step? The more I considered the process of censuring or expelling members, the more I believe that Greene is on very thin ice.
Consider that Nikema Williams’ resolution to censure Greene, as well as Jimmy Gomez’ pending resolution to expel her, are before the House Ethics Committee—literally, the most bipartisan committee in the House. Unlike other committees, it has an equal number of members from each party—though as of this writing, the committee is not fully constituted (only one Republican besides ranking member Jackie Walorski has been named to the committee). Indeed, watching the debate on the resolution, Rules Committee chairman Jim McGovern indicated that the resolution to throw Greene off her committee seats came to the full House because the committee was not fully constituted yet. Ranking member Tom Cole replied that the Republicans have picked their members, and they should be on the committee very soon.
Normally, when a censure or expulsion resolution is brought before the Ethics Committee, it conducts an investigation into the matter led by an investigatory subcommittee. Once the subcommittee collects evidence and interviews witnesses, it then holds a hearing into the matter, followed by a vote on whether the congress(wo)man engaged in the alleged conduct. If the committee finds that the behavior occurred, it will then vote on recommendations. Remember, folks, since there are an equal number of members from each party on the Ethics Committee. If censure or expulsion is recommended, it’s referred to the full House.
In either case, since there are an equal number of members from each party, Greene will not be able to credibly claim that she’s being canceled by those tyrannical Democrats she railed about today. And her unapologetic attitude probably won’t allow her to look good before the Ethics Committee in either case.
Censure requires just a simple majority, while expulsion requires a two-thirds vote. However, censure is a BFD. Greene would have to stand in the well of the House while Nancy Pelosi reads a resolution formally rebuking her. Since the end of the Civil War, only 13 representatives have been censured.
Plus, a full House vote to remove a member from his or her committee seats is a BFD in and of itself. Unless I’m very wrong, I can’t find any recent record of this happening.
Seen in this light, it’s hard not to conclude that removing Greene from her committee seats was an immediate step to protect the safety of other members of the House while more severe sanctions are considered. Which means that Greene is skating on very thin ice—and doesn’t know it.