Republicans May Torpedo Marjorie Taylor Greene's Plans

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's plans to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib could be torpedoed by fellow Republicans.

Congress is set to vote Wednesday on Greene's motion to censure Tlaib over her response to the war between Israel and Hamas. Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, drew criticism from Republicans for her statements about media reports concerning purported Israeli responsibility for a hospital bombing on October 17 in Gaza. U.S. intelligence agencies are among those that have refuted accusations that Israel was responsible for the blast, as well as the number of deaths.

Greene, a Georgia Republican, introduced a motion to censure Tlaib over her refusal to apologize for her comments, calling her an "Israel hating America hating woman who does not represent anything America stands for."

However, not all congressional Republicans are sold on the move to censure Tlaib, according to a new report.

Three House Republicans have voiced skepticism about Green's motion, citing concerns that censuring Tlaib would punish her for exercising her right to free speech, Semafor's Kadia Goba said on X (formerly Twitter).

"NEWS: Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich. will likely vote against censure of Rashida [Tlaib] arguing she has a right to free speech, per multiple sources. Rep. Duarte, R-Calif. made the same case to me last week," Goba wrote.

Representative Young Kim, a California Republican, spoke about the motion being "too political" and urged the House's GOP leadership to reconsider bringing it up for a vote, Goba added.

"On the GOP call: MTG called out Rep. Young Kim for voting to kick her off committees after Young Kim expressed concerns that the censure resolution was too political and asked leadership to reconsider bringing it to the floor," Goba wrote.

Greene, meanwhile, voiced her criticism of Republican skeptics of the motion in an X post on Sunday evening.

"I can't comprehend ANY Republican or Democrat for that matter choosing to stand with Pro-Hamas Pro-Terrorism Anti-Semite Anti-Israel Anti-America Rashida Tlaib!" Greene wrote.

Newsweek reached out by email to the offices of Representatives Duarte, Kim and Walberg for comment.

While the three Republicans have said they are concerned about the motion, it's not known how many in total would vote against it in a floor vote on Wednesday. At least one Democrat has also indicated he may consider supporting Greene's motion.

"Listen, I think once we get a House speaker here, I think that censure resolution will come to the floor. And I do think it's something that everyone should consider," Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, said October 24 on Fox News.

Greene's resolution says that Tlaib is being censured for "antisemitic activity, sympathizing with terrorist organizations, and leading an insurrection at the United States Capitol Complex." The "insurrection" Greene referred to was a Jewish-led, pro-Palestinian protest on October 18 demanding lawmakers call for a ceasefire, which Tlaib engaged in.

Tlaib responded to Greene's motion to censure her in a post to X last Thursday.

"Marjorie Taylor Greene's unhinged resolution is deeply Islamophobic and attacks peaceful Jewish anti-war advocates. I am proud to stand in solidarity with Jewish peace advocates calling for a ceasefire and an end to the violence," she wrote.