Democrats to introduce resolution censuring Greene, calling for resignation

Two first-term Democratic lawmakers on Friday announced plans to introduce legislation next week formally censuring Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and demanding her resignation in response to her support of social media posts threatening violence against both current and former Democratic leaders. 

Reps. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) announced the plans in a Friday press release, citing previous remarks Greene made in videos and several social media posts she liked or shared that proposed the executions of several leaders, including former President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). 

A censure, a symbolic gesture reprimanding a member of Congress, requires a simple majority to be passed. 

“Congresswoman Greene’s comments and actions are dangerous, unpatriotic, and a clear threat to every Member of Congress,” Williams said in a statement Friday. “It would be irresponsible for us to allow her to use the ‘People’s House’ as a platform to peddle discredited conspiracy theories that only fan the flames of hatred and violence.”

Williams argued that Greene should “resign immediately to allow someone to fill her seat who believes in upholding the Constitution and the mission of this legislative body to serve all people, not harm them.”

In her own statement along with the press release, Jacobs accused Greene of repeatedly demonstrating “her support for the execution of leaders of the Democratic Party, and her presence in Congress is a threat to our democracy, our institutions, and the safety of every person who works in the Capitol.” 

“We saw on January 6th what can happen when elected leaders use their positions of public trust to encourage and incite violence,” Jacobs added, referring to the violent riot at the Capitol spurred by former President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the election was rigged in favor of President Biden through widespread voter fraud. Greene has been a vocal supporter of Trump and his claims. 

Among the social media posts cited in Friday’s draft resolution was one on Facebook from 2018 in which a user wrote, “Now do we get to hang them?? Meaning H & O???” referring to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Obama. 

Greene reportedly replied to the Facebook post at the time with, “Stage is being set. Players are being put in place. We must be patient. This must be done perfectly or liberal judges would let them off.” 

Greene in January 2019 also allegedly liked a Facebook comment that stated, “a bullet to the head would be quicker,” to remove Pelosi from office. Greene has also repeatedly called for Pelosi to be tried for treason, including in a Facebook video in which she reportedly said, “Nancy Pelosi is guilty of treason,” and that “a crime punishable by death is what treason is.” 

The Hill has reached out to Greene’s office for comment on the lawmakers’ resolution. 

Greene, who in the past has indicated support of the QAnon conspiracy theory, also attracted renewed attention this week for previous comments made calling David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., a “coward.” Greene also supported a 2018 Facebook post that claimed that several U.S. school shootings were fabricated, including the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26 people. 

Other lawmakers have condemned Greene in recent days, including Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who said Wednesday that he was planning on introducing a resolution to expel Greene, calling her presence in Congress, “a direct threat against the elected officials and staff who serve our government.”