Mike Johnson Says ‘99.5%’ of House GOP Back Him – And Dings MTG Over Attention-Seeking

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) jibed that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) “likes to get the big interviews” as he was pressed by host Stephen A. Smith on the lawmaker’s public attacks on him, insisting that despite her criticism, “99.5%” of House Republicans back him.

Throughout the ongoing government shutdown, Greene has been outspoken in her criticism of Johnson and the wider Republican leadership’s strategy for negotiating a way out of it. In multiple interviews, the MAGA lawmaker ripped Johnson as having “no plan” and, on Tuesday, raised audience applause during an appearance on ABC’s The View for saying she “yelled” at him.

During his interview with Smith for SiriusXM political show, Straight Shooter with Stephen A., Johnson was pressed on how he felt about her comments.

STEPHEN A. SMITH: Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared on ABC’s The View on Tuesday. She says she blamed you, sir, for not bringing the House back into session. Calling it, quote, “An embarrassment.” I guess the question would be, why won’t you call the members back? And number two, how do you feel about what she directed directly at you?

MIKE JOHNSON: I’m not unaccustomed to hearing criticism from Marjorie. We have intense fellowship as we say in the Deep South, Stephen. And she knows I’ve got an open door. She can come in and talk with me anytime, but she goes on these shows. She likes to get the big interviews and that’s fine. Everybody has the right.

Johnson insisted the stalemate lies elsewhere, in the Senate, not in the House. He argued Republicans tried to cut a deal and Democrats “have held off.”

“They voted against it. They don’t want to open the government. And so we can’t do anything until we fulfill that most basic function. I mean, that’s the most basic responsibility of the Senate and the House of the Congress is to make government work for the people, to keep it open, to keep the services flowing and the troops paid and all the rest. And so that’s the first order of business and anything else is just a side issue,” he said.

“99.5% of all the House Republicans understand exactly what we’re doing and why. Marjorie has a difference of opinion. That’s up to her,” he added.

Watch above via YouTube.

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