QAnon House member meets with Republican leader, remains defiant

As Republicans wrestle about how to handle the outcry over Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s endorsement of outlandish conspiracy theories and of violent, racist views, Greene remains unapologetic, even after a meeting with her party’s leader.

“No matter what @GOPLeader [House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy] does it would never be enough for the hate America Democrats”, Greene tweeted on Tuesday morning following reports that McCarthy may try to broker a deal with Democrats regarding punishment for Greene’s controversies.

No matter what @GOPLeader does it would never be enough for the hate America Democrats.

As much as he genuinely tries to work with @SpeakerPelosi for the good of this country, she refuses to see the hypocrisy of her own conference. pic.twitter.com/3q6XsH3SdE

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) February 3, 2021

McCarthy met late on Tuesday with Greene before meeting with a larger group of Republicans as they seek a solution to what has turned into a polarising issue for their party. The entire House Republican Conference is scheduled to meet later on Wednesday to discuss Greene as well as the fate of Representative Liz Cheney, whom far-right lawmakers want to remove from her leadership post after she voted to impeach former President Donald Trump.

On social media, Greene, who represents a heavily Republican district in Georgia, has voiced support for racist views, unfounded QAnon pro-Trump conspiracy theories and calls for violence against Democratic politicians, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Without action by Republicans, Democrats were threatening to force an embarrassing House vote on Wednesday on removing Greene from her assigned committees.

“They are only set out to destroy Republicans, your jobs, our economy, your children’s education and lives, steal our freedoms, and erase God’s creation,” Greene said on Twitter on Wednesday. “And the bloodthirsty media are their henchmen who help them by relentlessly attacking anyone in their path.”

They are only set out to destroy Republicans, your jobs, our economy, your children’s education and lives, steal our freedoms, and erase God’s creation.

And the bloodthirsty media are their henchmen who help them by relentlessly attacking anyone in their path.

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) February 3, 2021

Republicans appointed Greene, who is beginning her first term in the House, to the education committee, a decision that drew harsh criticism because of her suggestions that school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, could be hoaxes. A House vote on removing her from the committee could be politically difficult for some Republicans.

McCarthy has stopped short of criticising the first-term congresswoman, who was dubbed a “future Republican Star” by Trump last summer and has remained a firm Trump supporter.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and others have boosted pressure this week on McCarthy and the House GOP to act.

In a statement that did not use Greene’s name, the usually circumspect McConnell called her “loony lies” a “cancer” on the GOP.

In addition, Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger, who has been trying to combat the GOP’s pro-Trump wing, said he favoured removing Greene from her committees, saying Republicans must “take a stand to disavow” her.

“We owe them no apologies”, Greene continued on Twitter on Wednesday. “We will never back down. We only serve the ONE who created us ALL, and we only bow to HIM. And we know who we are, free and saved by HIS grace. No matter what.”