On Wednesday's edition of CNN's "The Lead," analyst Nia-Malika Henderson outlined how the less extreme wing of House Republicans should have cause for alarm about their potential lack of influence in the upcoming Republican House Majority.
This comes as a small faction of far-right Republicans are threatening to block House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the 218 votes needed for Speaker of the House — and as pro-QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has thrown her support behind McCarthy amid his promises to restore her to her committee assignments.
"A group of moderate House Republicans met with Kevin McCarthy on board," said anchor Jake Tapper. "They want him to be Speaker. A source tells CNN they warned him if he cuts a deal with these hardliners, the MAGA folks on the so-called motion to vacate, which sounds stupid and boring but actually very important and consequential it will allow anyone at any time to make a motion to remove the Speaker of the House — that if he includes that, the moderate Republicans won't support the rules package, but it's possible that, you know, Kevin McCarthy needs this in order to become Speaker."
"That's right," said Henderson. "If he cuts this deal, essentially the far right of his party people like Marjorie Taylor Greene are going to own his Speakership, right? They essentially can say, listen, if you don't do what we want you to do and sort of essentially brand the House Republican caucus in their model, then they can, you know, push him out of a job."
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This was the problem facing former House Speaker John Boehner, noted Henderson — he was "run out of town because of the far right of his party."
"If you're a moderate Republican, you're worried you'll be up in two years, and you got Marjorie Taylor Greene possibly pulling the strings," said Henderson. "We'll see. The big vote is January 3rd. This is his dream job. But it sounds like it could be a nightmare if he actually ends up being Speaker."
Watch the video below or at this link.
Nia-Malika Henderson says Marjorie Taylor Greene is "pulling the strings"www.youtube.com
