Americans continue to raise concerns about Representative-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene’s denial of the 2020 presidential election results and it has caused a ruckus during her bid for Speaker of the House Wednesday morning.
The election of Greene sparked concerns among many in the House of Representatives, with some arguing that her denialism and support for the baseless election fraud claims espoused by former President Donald Trump undermines democracy and diverts our attention away from the far more serious issues facing American society.
As one of only six House members to vote against recognizing President Joe Biden’s November victory, Greene’s position on the election has been a source of controversy from the start. The Republican from Georgia, who has a purported history of racism and past support for the extremist QAnon conspiracy theory, ran unopposed in her district and is set to take her seat in Congress in January 2021.
However, last week Greene threw her hat in the ring to challenge House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Wednesday’s election for House Speaker. In response, 100 members of the House Democratic caucus signed on to a letter urging McCarthy to “make his opposition to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s candidacy for Speaker of the House crystal clear.”
The letter emphasizes the danger posed by Greene’s “clear lack of commitment to the democratic process and refusal to recognize the election of Biden as president,” noting the former President’s “repeated efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election” and suggesting Greene’s election as Speaker would “cite, once again, the recent and heinous history of voter suppression.”
In the end, despite her failed bid, Greene’s election denialism continues to cast a dark shadow over the House of Representatives. As Representative James McGovern (D-MA) tweeted yesterday, “The fact that Marjorie Taylor Greene even made a run for Speaker is a reminder of how important it is that members of Congress respect democratic norms — and stand up and fight for the core values of our democracy.” McGovern went on to say that “denying the 2020 election does not reflect an understanding of fundamental American values: freedom, fairness, and the rule of law.”
For its part, the House of Representatives must work together to ensure that Greene’s election denialism does not become the norm in the United States. It is only by doing so that the House will be able to maintain a level of integrity and honor when it comes to protecting the core values of our democracy.