Republicans are circulating a number of resolutions aimed at punishing the lawmaker who was thrown out of President Donald Trump’s speech.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus is vowing to introduce a censure resolution against Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the Texas Democrat was escorted out of President Trump’s address because of his disruptive protest.
Minutes into Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday — the first of his second term — when Trump was discussing the “mandate” he received from the American people in November, Green stood up and yelled back at the president, contending that he did not have a mandate to cut Medicaid. Republicans then started chanting “USA.”
Johnson, atop the dais, gave Green a warning, urging the Texas Democrat to “take your seat.” Green, however, kept yelling out at Trump, prompting Johnson to order the sergeant at arms to remove the congressman from the chamber. Republicans sang “hey, hey, hey, goodbye” to Green.
Green — who has served in the House for two decades — did not show remorse for his protest, telling reporters Tuesday night “I was making it clear to the president that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
“UPDATE… The House Freedom Caucus will be introducing a censure resolution against Rep. Al Green today,” the conservative group wrote on X Wednesday morning.
“Absolutely shameful. He should be censured,” Johnson said when asked by The Hill about the protest. “It’s a spectacle that was not necessary. He’s made history in a terrible way, and I hope he enjoys it.”
The House Freedom Caucus is not the only group of lawmakers racing to censure Green.
Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) — who resigned from the Freedom Caucus last year, after the group removed Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) from its ranks — is also circulating a draft resolution to censure Green that he plans to introduce on Wednesday.
Nehls started circulating the resolution Wednesday morning at 9 a.m., his office said. The House Freedom Caucus post on X announcing the plan to censure was posted shortly after at 9:25 a.m.
