While you could likely fill several books about the impact that former president Donald Trump’s term had on American politics and American life in general, one of the clearest effects on his influence can be seen among the ranks of the Republican Party.
Although it was clear during that party’s primary that Trump’s desired policies and behavior led him to clash with the more established figures in the GOP, the divide between his remaining loyalists and these figures is all the more obvious now that he’s out of office.
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Even before the the sudden chaos of the Capitol riot, this widening divide could be seen in the efforts of some Republican representatives and senators to object to the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election results in defiance of then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s urging.
And while it remains unclear how he and other established Republican senators will vote in the former president’s second impeachment trial, it’s much clearer how he feels about the conspiracy theories of QAnon and by extension, those of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Although she’s been a controversial figure since before she was elected to represent Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene is now facing a resolution to remove her from her House committee appointments.
As NBC News reported , this motion by Democratic Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ted Deutch of Florida as well as Jahana Hayes of Connecticut would see her removed from the House Education & Labor Committee and the House Budget Committee.
According to CNN, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is expected to tell his opposite number in the GOP, Kevin McCarthy to strip Greene of these appointments within 72 hours or face the resolution on the House floor.
It is likely in connection with this ultimatum that McCarthy is expected to meet with Greene this week.
As for what prompted this resolution, CNN reported that Greene has been found to make statements indicating support for the idea of executing specific Democratic politicians in 2018 and 2019. It is also informed by her propagation of various conspiracy theories, one of which led her to confront Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg in a now-viral video.
According to Media Matters , she has also pushed QAnon conspiracy theories, claimed without evidence that Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi conspired to engineer school shootings, and falsely claimed that none of the planes involved in the 9/11 attack struck the Pentagon.
When asked about Greene, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell speficially condemned this penchant for spreading conspiracy theories.
Although he didn’t mention her by name, CNN reported that McConnell did say, “Loony lies and conspiracy theories are cancer for the Republican Party and our country. Somebody who’s suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.’s airplane is not living in reality.”
He also spoke in defense of Liz Cheney — a representative from Wyoming and chairwoman of the House Republican Conference — who some Trump allies have called to be demoted for voting in favor of the former president’s impeachment.
According to NBC News, this context led McConnell to say, “Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on them. She is an important leader in our party and in our nation. I am grateful for her service and look forward to continuing to work with her on the crucial issues facing our nation.”
As for McConnell’s conspiracy theory statements, it was apparently clear to Greene that they were aimed at her.
As you can see, her response was to accuse her non-Trump aligned colleagues of “losing the country.”
At the time of this writing, it remains unclear whether the GOP will take any action against Greene before the resolution calling for her committee removal hits the floor.
