'Zero meetings': MTG delivers brutal attack on her own party over budget 'charade'

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) skewered House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) Monday over his approach to crafting next year’s budget, calling it a “charade” with the deadline to adopt a new budget just over two weeks away.

Congress has until Oct. 1 to pass a new annual spending bill, with speculation swirling that Republicans and Democrats will be unable to reach an agreement, and therefore kick off a government shutdown. Disagreements also exist with the GOP itself, which remains “painfully divided” as to whether it should shore up funding for the Affordable Care Act, which provides subsidies for Americans without employer-based health insurance.

Politico reported Sunday that GOP leaders were “close” to finalizing a budget extension known as a ‘continuing resolution’ that would avoid a government shutdown. Greene, however, cast doubt on that report, writing on X Monday that House Republicans have had “zero” meetings about such a proposal.

“We have had zero meetings about voting on a [continuing resolution],” Greene wrote. “Zero. We have zero bill text. We knew it was coming for a long time, but Johnson continued the charade of passing our own appropriations.”

The most recent threat of a government shutdown occurred in March, where Democrats, largely at the direction of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (R-NY), ultimately worked with Republicans to pass a spending bill. Democrats’ cooperation with Republicans, and without gaining any notable concessions, sparked fury among those on the left.

Now, Democrats appear to be preparing for a more drawn-out fight, and have also signaled an openness to weathering a government shutdown.

Greene went on to say that even if a continuing resolution was being discussed by Johnson behind the scenes, such a spending mechanism – which largely continues spending at previously-approved levels – would be a betrayal to Republican voters.

“By the way, a [continuing resolution] does not pass any new funding requests for our districts,” Greene said.

“It is an extension of the Johnson/Schumer/Biden omnibus that I, and many of my conservative colleagues, originally voted NO on. Congress should not pass a CR and hand our elected legislative power over to [the] unelected [Office of Management and Budget]. That’s not how this works.”