Greene rages as Dems vow to protect Speaker

GOP hails police action against campus protests

Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for May 1, 2024:

• Strict abortion law takes effect today in Florida.

• Another non-binding immigration vote in the House.

• Democrats gain back a House seat from New York.

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JOHNSON. The GOP effort to get rid of House Speaker Mike Johnson took a highly unusual turn on Tuesday, as Democrats publicly announced they would vote to protect the Speaker of another party. "We will vote to table Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Motion to Vacate the Chair," House Democratic leaders said. "If she invokes the motion, it will not succeed."

• DEMOCRATS. The announcement was a notable political decision on multiple levels. First, none of us have seen anything like this before, so it was certainly a historic moment - Democrats vowing to save a GOP Speaker under fire from members of his own party.

• BREAKING. Second, the news of the Democratic decision broke while the Speaker was holding a news conference - which seemed a tad bit embarrassing. "The first I've heard of it," Johnson told reporters when asked at a GOP leadership news conference.

• UNIPARTY. Third, the decision by Democrats drove the anti-Johnson crowd nuts, just witness the reaction of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). "Mike Johnson is officially the Democrat Speaker of the House," Greene said.

• WEAKNESS. And finally, by officially stepping into the breach, Democrats further isolated Greene, and showed just how weak Greene's call to get rid of the Speaker really was. She never had the votes.

• NOT GONNA HAPPEN. "We want to turn the page," said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), the third-ranking House Democrat. "We don't want to turn the clock back and let Marjorie Taylor Greene dictate the schedule."

MCCARTHY. So, why did Democrats vote to get rid of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, but they will help save Speaker Mike Johnson? That's pretty simple. McCarthy refused to cut deals with the Democrats.

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NEWSER. We'll find out in a 9 am news conference with Greene whether she will actually force a vote on her motion to oust Johnson - or whether this is just going to be more MTG Theater. Greene has backed off several times now - and frankly she looks weaker every day after not going ahead with her threat.

• JOHNSON. As for the Speaker, even with support from Democrats, he looks stronger than just a month ago, when Greene was initially threatening a vote. "I have to do what I believe is right everyday and let the chips fall where they may," Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.

• MRS. GREENE OF GEORGIA. To me, the most interesting part about this is how Greene tried really hard to get rid of the Speaker. But she was left in the lurch by her GOP colleagues. You might say that the Emperor has no clothes.

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PROTESTS. Republicans in Congress hailed the police action last night at Columbia University in New York, as officers arrested students and demonstrators who had taken over a college building as part of their anti-Israel protests.

• GOP. "I’m glad to see that the NYPD is restoring order to Columbia’s campus," said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). "Enough is enough."

• AOC. As you might imagine, there was a different reaction from more liberal Democrats. "This is the opposite of leadership and endangers public safety," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who called the raid a 'nightmare in the making.'

• DEMONSTRATIONS. History repeats itself. Just read today's 'Muse of History,' which is all about protests at Columbia - in 1968.

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FAA BILL. With all sorts of talk about what legislative extras might get added to a compromise air travel policy bill, the Senate this afternoon will try to take a first step forward on a bipartisan authorization measure for the Federal Aviation Administration. 60 votes are needed to force a start to debate.

• DCA. I told you yesterday about the controversy stirred by a provision in the FAA bill which adds 10 flights at Washington's National Airport. Now there's another prominent opponent to that plan. "Adding new flights at Reagan Airport would jeopardize passenger safety," said Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). "We must remove this provision."

• REFUND. Last week, the Biden Administration announced that airlines will soon be forced to automatically refund passengers their money when flights are canceled. But the fine print of this FAA bill seemingly puts a hurdle in the way of consumers.

• WARREN. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) noted that on page 429 of the bill, it says the full refunds can only be issued 'upon written or electronic request of the passenger.' So, just going up to the ticket desk and asking for a refund evidently won't be enough. Interesting.

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ABORTION. The state of Florida takes a big step into the abortion debate this election year, as a new law takes effect today which bans all abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy. That law will be the focus of a ballot measure in Florida in November, which seeks to add abortion protections to the state constitution.

• BALLOT. "This November, Floridians will have the final say over reproductive freedom at the ballot box," said Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL). "A woman’s right to bodily autonomy should not change based on what state she’s in," said Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL).

• TRUMP. In an interview with Time Magazine out yesterday, former President Donald Trump would not rule out signing a national abortion ban. Asked about banning the abortion drug mifepristone, Trump said he would issue 'a big statement' within two weeks - but never did.

• NOVEMBER. The polling on these abortion matters is abysmal for Trump and Republicans. And I'm not sure the GOP really has any legitimate way to deflect the attacks coming from Democrats.

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BORDER. While Democrats want to talk about abortion in this year’s campaign, Republicans would rather talk about the border. But there’s also one big difference in how the two sides would handle those issues. Democrats talk about codifying Roe v. Wade - while Republicans keep bringing up resolutions that do nothing.

• TODAY. The House will vote again today on a non-binding measure from Republicans which criticizes President Biden's policy choices on illegal immigration. The measure offers no GOP policy changes, as Republicans continue to avoid actual policy votes on the border this election year.

• SASSY. "We're just getting worn out by these resolutions," complained Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). "We've done three dozen since Mike Johnson became Speaker." (Okay, it hasn't been three dozen, but you get the picture. Non-binding is a pretty weak response.)

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CHARLOTTE. A day after four law enforcement officers were killed in North Carolina by a man armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, President Biden again called on Congress to ban those weapons. "We must do more to protect our law enforcement officers," the President said.

• BIDEN. "Leaders in Congress need to step up so that we ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, and pass universal background checks and a national red flag law," Biden added. "Enough is enough."

• GUN CONTROL. "These officers were slain on the job with a weapon designed for the battlefield," said Kris Brown, the head of the group Brady United Against Gun Violence. "Guns are the #1 killer of children and on-duty police," said the group run by ex-Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ).

• CONGRESS. All of us know that there is no way the Congress is going to approve anything in 2024 resembling a ban on assault weapons. But I will again observe that the growing grass-roots effort by young people on the issue of gun violence should not be brushed off.

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PORTO RICO. The Governor of Puerto Rico won an important endorsement yesterday for a bill which would allow a new plebiscite about the island's political future. Gov. Pedro Pierluisi told backers that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he supports the Puerto Rico Status Act.

• NEWSER. At a news conference outside the Capitol, backers of the plan again pressed for action in the House and Senate. "Puerto Ricans are American citizens," said Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM). "They deserve the right to decide their own future."

• CITIZENSHIP. The plan includes the option for Puerto Rico to choose 'Sovereignty in Free Association with the United States.' Currently, all Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. But that 'Sovereignty' option does not automatically guarantee U.S. citizenship in the future.

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NEW YORK. Democrats easily won back a seat in the U.S. House last night, as Democrat Tim Kennedy won an overwhelming victory to replace former Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY), who resigned back in February. The win will make the House 217-213 in favor of Republicans.

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RAP SHEET. A Pennsylvania man who fought with police on Jan. 6 has been found guilty of all 11 criminal charges against him. After Joseph Pastucci and his wife made it onto the Senate floor, they fought with police officers and had to be physically dragged out of the Capitol.

• WIFE. Pastucci's wife, Jeanette Mangia, is awaiting trial on separate charges. While her husband was pushing and shoving police, Mangia kicked one cop in the balls as she was being tossed out of the building.

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MUSE OF HISTORY.  May 1, 1968.  On this date, Sen. Herman Talmadge (D-GA) took to the Senate floor to denounce protests on college campuses against the Vietnam War.  "We have seen rebellion, anarchy, and insurrection in some of the principal colleges in our land," Talmadge said, noting protests at Columbia University in New York City.  "It took the administration of Columbia almost a full week before it decided to regain control of that institution."  

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House convenes at 10 am.

The Senate meets at 10 am.

Check President Biden’s schedule.

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