Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Thursday she would be open to supporting Elon Musk to become Speaker of the House, as the billionaire continues to gain influence in politics after successfully blocking support for the CR aimed at averting a government shutdown.
"DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency. The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday. This could be the way," the lawmaker said.
I’d be open to supporting @elonmusk for Speaker of the House.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 19, 2024
DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency.
The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday.
This could be the way. https://t.co/8YuL56e443
She was responding to a publication by Senator Rand Paul, who made the proposal earlier. Paul recalled that the House Speaker doesn't need to be a member of Congress and such a choice would "disrupt the swamp." "Think about it... nothing's impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka 'uniparty,' lose their ever-lovin' minds)"
Musk's criticism of the CR quickly gathered steam and support from Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump.
The scenario is now increasingly untenable for House Speaker Mike Johnson. The lawmaker has previously criticized omnibus bills and pledged to avoid such practices, denied the legislation falls into this category. He added it will put the party to "put our fingerprints on what those final spending bills are" next year. It is unclear whether he will stand by the bill now.
Johnson was also openly criticized by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, saying he "cooked" the bill and that the party needs to "have a serious look at who is leading this Congress." "Because if this is the best they can do, I mean, it is total incompetence," he added.
Musk has said a shutdown is preferable to the bill being passed, but should parties not reach an agreement before Friday midnight, millions of government workers could face delayed or missed paychecks, and many federally funded programs could see operations suspended.
While figures may vary slightly, the scenario is quite similar at the moment. The National Federation for Federal Employees estimated back then that approximately 2.1 million civilian workers and 4 million federal contract workers may had been affected by a lack of an agreement.
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