Rep. Greene and Speaker Johnson meet for a second day as possible vote on his ouster simmers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson portrayed himself as in control Tuesday, insisting he’s not negotiating with far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as they met again at the Capitol and she weighed whether to proceed with a vote on his ouster.

It was the second day Johnson met privately with Greene, a top ally of Donald Trump, and she outlined four demands — including no more funding for Ukraine as it fights Russia and an end to the Justice Department special counsel’s legal cases against the indicted former president.

Greene is threatening to call a vote on her motion to vacate the speaker from office, despite objections from Trump himself and fellow Republicans who want to end the chaos on Capitol Hill. Another hardline congressman, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, backs her effort and has joined in the meetings.

Greene said she had “high expectations” the speaker will deliver.

“This is what people all over the country are screaming for,” Greene said Tuesday on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast. “They want to see this vote.”

The political risks are high for both the speaker, who is under criticism for relying on promised Democratic support to save his job, and the congresswoman, who could become sidelined if few other Republicans join her efforts against Johnson.

Together Johnson, R-La., and Greene, R-Ga., appear to be working on a settlement that would provide a political off-ramp to the standoff and benefit them both by preventing another messy spectacle over the speaker’s gavel.

“Look, they’ve been very productive discussions. that’s what I’ll say” Johnson said after they 90 minute meeting.

Earlier Johnson downplayed the idea that there was any deal to be made as met with the lawmakers.

“It’s not a negotiation,” he said.

Noting he has passed six months on the job, which Johnson won after Republicans ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the speaker said his policy has been to have an open door and hear out the ideas from Greene, Massie or any other lawmakers in his slim GOP majority.

But in a nod of what’s to come, Johnson lashed out at the Justice Department’s two cases from special prosecutor Jack Smith against Trump — over mishandling classified documents as well as the effort to overturn the 2020 election in the runup to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.