Vox explains: “Democrats have pushed for consequences for the first-term representative, who has supported or suggested, in no particular order: the QAnon conspiracy theory; Parkland and 9/11 denial; the killing of Democratic leaders; and the idea that 2018 forest fires were started by a Jewish-controlled space laser.
“The removal vote … could be a watershed moment for both parties, but particularly the GOP. House Republicans effectively weighed in on the future of their party, and whether it welcomes lawmakers like Greene and the supporters they bring.
“But it also could be a pivotal moment in the House’s institutional politics. Disciplining members is a rare tactic, and practically unheard of for comments made before being elected. During debate, Republicans warned that Democrats were opening a ‘Pandora’s box’ of majority tyranny, while Democrats maintained that Greene’s comments represent a uniquely unacceptable situation. …
“Democrats say Greene’s comments are so egregious that it warrants taking such historic action, and that if Republicans had stepped up and taken care of it themselves — as both parties have previously done with errant members — the vote would be unnecessary. …
“But Republicans say Democrats are playing with procedural fire, opening the door to a tit-for-tat escalation where the majority party is free to punish members of the minority with whom they disagree.”
Read more here.
Comment: I agree with the Democrats on this one. Greene’s behavior — especially encouraging assassination of the Democrats she now serves with — can’t be ignored. Republicans had their chance to deal with it and dropped the ball. Her case is unique and doesn’t have to set a precedent. If it escalates, and leads to tit-for-tat, it will be the Republicans who escalated it. The threat of escalation, if that’s what it is — and it sure sounds like a threat — shouldn’t cow Democrats or deter them from imposing minimal standards on civilized conduct on Congress.
There’s another factor at play: Today’s Republicans behave so much like unruly children that Democrats have little choice about assuming an in loco parentis role. Their action was prompted by the Republicans’ failure to take action.
Also, part of what’s going on here is behavior modification in the nature of, “If you don’t do it, we’ll do it for you.” It’s not hypocritical, because Democrats have disciplined their errant members in the past; they can credibly claim a moral high ground.
But ultimately it all boils down to the GOP’s collapse as a civically responsible organization and institution. As an Army drill sergeant would say, if kicking them in the butt straightens them out, he’s done them a favor. Hence, Republicans really should thank the Democrats for this.
The Democrats are not using common political sense here. Perhaps the Republican minority leader did not make a clear enough threat. Clearly the Democrats are not going to take the action their rhetoric requires which is to remove the member from Congress, perhaps because they know how the special election will fo, So the Minority leader next places Greene on another committee starting a game of whack a mole or waits two years and should the Republicans take the House strip the Democratic minority leader of all committee memberships.
Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote, so the Democrats would need 70 GOP votes to expel her. Removing her from committees, which requires a simple majority, is the most they can do. The resolution bans her from committees for the current session of Congress, i.e. 2 years, and would supersede any attempt by the Minority Leader to put her on a committee. If she’s reelected in 2022, and Democrats still want to keep her off committees, that would require a new resolution.
Greene’s behavior justifies the action taken against her by the Democrats. Therefore threats and retaliation by Republicans are not warranted or justified. That would be like retaliating against a D.A. for prosecuting someone who is guilty. She’s not an innocent victim of partisanship; her conduct was reprehensible, so her GOP colleagues should accept the discipline meted to her and move on.