Tensions fester within House GOP over failure to censure Tlaib

The House failed to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Wednesday after more than 20 Republicans joined all Democrats in shooting down the measure, prompting backlash from some hard-line conservatives, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who sought to punish the Michigan Democrat over her comments about Israel.

Lawmakers voted 222-186 to table the motion, with 23 Republicans joining all Democrats in killing the measure. Greene railed against her GOP colleagues who voted against the motion, accusing them of being “feckless” and failing to hold Tlaib accountable.

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“This is why Republicans NEVER do anything to stop the communist Democrats or ever hold anyone accountable,” Greene said in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “PATHETIC.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), one of the Republicans who voted to table the measure, explained his vote in a statement on Thursday, arguing the resolution itself was “deeply flawed” by making “legally and factually unverified claims, including the claim of leading an ‘insurrection.'”

Part of the censure resolution last week accused Tlaib of displaying “antisemitic activity” and “leading an insurrection” at the Capitol, referring to a demonstration last month in which pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside members’ offices to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. More than 100 of the protesters were arrested, with a handful being charged with assaulting police officers, according to the U.S. Capitol Police.

However, Roy said he disagreed with the use of the term “insurrection,” especially in the context of the Jan. 6 riot.

“In January 2021, the legal term insurrection was stretched and abused by many following the events at the Capitol,” he said in a statement. “We should not continue to perpetuate claims of ‘insurrection’ at the Capitol and we should not abuse the term now.”

Greene fired back against Roy, accusing the Texas Republican of working against her to protect “Terrorist Tlaib.”

“You voted to kick me out of the freedom caucus, but keep CNN wannabe Ken Buck and vaping groping Lauren Boebert and you voted with the Democrats to protect Terrorist Tlaib,” she responded in a post. “You hate Trump, certified Biden’s election, and could care less about J6 defendants being persecuted.”

Other Republicans who voted against the censure resolution echoed similar sentiments, pushing back on the “insurrectionist” language, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). The Kentucky Republican said he voted to table the motion because it “modeled … legislation that condemned J6 protesters,” whom he also said were not insurrectionists.

Greene unleashed a tirade of social media posts against Massie and Roy on Thursday, accusing the latter of solely “working for politicians” rather than holding Democrats accountable.

“Oh shut up Colonel Sanders, you’re not even from Texas, more like the DMV,” she said. “Chip Roy’s career [consists] of working for politicians, working for campaigns for politicians, and being a politician himself. Unity Party all the way! Which is why you will never hold anyone accountable.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) brushed off the attacks from her Georgia colleague after Greene called her “vaping groping Boebert” — despite the Colorado Republican voting in favor of the Tlaib censure resolution.

“I do not have time for that,” Boebert said. “Does that secure our border? Does that lower inflation? Does that lower gas prices? Does that lower grocery prices? … I don’t care then.”

Despite the public tensions, House GOP leaders maintained the conference is unified as they move forward with passing appropriations bills and other legislative priorities after a three-week standstill.

“House Republicans are unified and hitting the ground running under the new leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) said during the party’s weekly press conference.

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This sentiment was echoed by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), both of whom expressed confidence the House Republican Conference is as unified as ever coming out of the tumultuous speaker fight.

“We’re not only unified, we’re energized,” Johnson said. “And part of the reason for that is that our members were allowed to go home for the weekend and do some district work.”