Republicans Want More Ammo in Their Fight Against MTG
RULE BREAKERS
Several House Republicans are fighting to change their conference’s rules in a last-ditch attempt to rein in the far-right members currently dominating headlines and occasionally grinding business in the chamber to a standstill. They’re looking at measures that would pull members’ committee assignments or even ejecting them from the party’s conference entirely, several representatives told Politico Thursday. News of the potential changes comes just one day after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a doomed motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. “I wouldn't be surprised if there are some changes on a couple of committees after watching that motion to table vote,” said Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) said following Greene’s motion. Meanwhile, Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) said that Greene’s quashed rebellion would renew conversations among Republicans about “what rules do we need in place for the House to function, period,” noting that there is “an extremely high level of interest, by a high number of members, to change the rules right now.” More and more Republicans have been growing tired of their fellow GOP colleagues who refuse to vote along party lines, and pull stunts like opposing the rules of debate. “We now have people that routinely vote against the rules … so I think we bottomed out,” said Rep. Ryan Zinke. “I would suggest a 80 percent rule. Oddly enough, what the Freedom Caucus has. If someone routinely violates the rules … then it should be the conference’s decision of whether he should be removed or suspended from committees,” he added.