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March 10, 2021 | by Chris Cillizza, Lauren Dezenski and Allison Gordon
The growing GOP rebellion against Marjorie Taylor Greene
For the fourth time in the last two weeks, Georgia freshman Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called for a motion to adjourn the House on Thursday morning.
The move has no practical effect other than to force every single House member to come to the floor to vote on, well, whether the House should adjourn.
It's purely a time-waster -- and an attempt by Greene to be a fly in the ointment of the Congress. (She was stripped of committee assignments by the House last month following revelations about a number of anti-Semitic and Islamophobic comments she'd made before coming to Congress.)
Greene explained her, uh, strategy to CNN's Annie Grayer earlier this month:
“Unfortunately there are some Republicans that are unhappy with these type of floor procedures because it messes up their schedule. But Republican voters really don't like that type of Republican mentality up here. They really want Republicans to stand up and stop these radical crazy policies."
(To be clear: A motion to adjourn does zero to stop policies -- whether they're the "radical crazy" ones or any others.)
What's becoming increasingly clear as Greene pursues this pointless attention-getting effort is that even many of her Republican colleagues are losing patience with her.
On Thursday, 40 Republicans voted against her motion, the largest number who have done so since she started pulling these stunts on February 24. The last time Greene filed a motion to adjourn (March 3), just 18 Republicans voted against it. Her earlier attempts were opposed by almost no GOPers.
So there's increasing unhappiness about what she's doing -- although it doesn't yet extend to the party leadership. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (California) voted with Greene on Wednesday and, when asked by CNN's Daniella Diaz about the move, ignored the question.
The Point: Greene's performative politics aren't meant to accomplish anything other than get her more attention, more cable TV hits and more fundraising dollars. At what point do a majority of House Republicans say enough is enough?
-- Chris
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"On November 8 -- it was a Sunday -- I became aware probably of the most material information at the time for the world since maybe the night before the dropping of the bombs in Hiroshima."
-- Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla recounted how he “felt the joy” of Dr. Anthony Fauci last year when he was able to share the company’s Covid-19 vaccine efficacy results.
ON ONE SIDE OF THE FENCE
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is no big fan of the security situation at the US Capitol right now.
He compared the razor wire around the complex to his "last visit to Kabul," while admitting there is some need for changes after the insurrection at the Capitol.
"I think we are continuing to overreact based on current threat level, what is needed here at the Capitol," McConnell told CNN's Jessica Dean. "It looks terrible, to have the beacon of our democracy surrounded by razor wire and National Guard troops.”
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CHRIS' GOOD READS
"The Biden blitz is coming"
What worries Democrats
The advice we would give to our March 2020 selves
Everything is for sale
Fukushima, today
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MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Two new(ish) "Tiny Desk Concerts" you have to listen to: Olafur Arnalds and Fleet Foxes.
Today's episode: After 50 days in office, Biden’s Covid-19 bill victory.
MEET YOUR CABINET MEMBER
In the latest installment of The Point’s look at the Cabinet nominees, let’s meet now-former Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, President Joe Biden's choice for secretary of Housing and Urban Development. She was just confirmed by the Senate in a 66-34 vote and resigned from the House on Wednesday afternoon.
Here are five things you may not know about the 68-year-old:
- Fudge is deeply connected to her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, and once served as national president.
- Before moving on to Congress, Fudge became the first Black person and first woman to be elected mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
- Fudge founded the Congressional Rock and Roll Caucus to “promote the collection, preservation and interpretation of the impact rock and roll music has made on our world.”
- For fun, Fudge enjoys “pinochle, barbecuing and making ice cream with a manual machine,” according to Cleveland.com (And yes, we also had to Google what "pinochle" is!)
- You may recognize Fudge from her high-stakes fencing match with Stephen Colbert (10/10 recommend watching).
LET'S GET QUIZZICAL!
Question: Where did Ronald Reagan attend college?
a. Pomona College
b. Bonzo State University
c. Eureka College
d. Pepperdine
Send your answers to [email protected] and [email protected]! Test your political trivia prowess with The Point trivia on Chris' Instagram stories.
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ONE BIG BILL SIGNING
Friday
The day President Biden plans to sign the Covid-19 stimulus bill into law at the White House. Here's a handy guide on what you can expect to get from the package from CNN's Tami Luhby and Katie Lobosco.
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