NASHVILLE — The White House is slamming U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after the Northwest Georgia congresswoman said this week she won't vote to fund the federal government if the U.S. House doesn't go along with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
"The last thing the American people deserve is for extreme House members to trigger a government shutdown that hurts our economy, undermines our disaster preparedness and forces our troops to work without guaranteed pay," spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement Thursday night.
Greene earlier Thursday held a town hall in Floyd County, later saying on social media, "I will not vote to fund the government if it doesn't do this."
She then went on to list four items. It begins with Greene's demand for holding an impeachment inquiry vote on Biden. Other demands included defunding "weaponization of government," eliminating all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and no more funding for Ukraine in its fight in its struggle with Russia.
Greene is seeking to eliminate funding for special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of former President Donald Trump. An ardent Trump fan, Greene called for Biden's impeachment the same day he was sworn into office.
"House Republicans responsible for keeping the government open already made a promise to the American public about government funding," Bates said in the statement, "and it would be a shame for them to break their word and fail the country because they caved to the hardcore fringe of their party in prioritizing a baseless impeachment stunt over high stakes needs Americans care about deeply — like fighting fentanyl trafficking, protecting our national security and funding FEMA."
FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
It was not immediately clear if the FEMA mention came after South Georgia was hit by Hurricane Idalia, damaging cotton, pecan and other crops.
Earlier Thursday, Biden had called for a short-term continuing resolution to keep funding the federal government after Sept. 30, when this year's budget ends.
The Hill reported House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, earlier this week said, "I would actually like to have a short-term CR (continuing resolution), only to make our arguments stronger, because ... if we shut down, all the government shuts down, investigation and everything else, it hurts the American public."
U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Georgia, has introduced his own legislation seeking to end both state and federal prosecutions of Trump.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-285-9480.