Johnson: Democratic Rep. Al Green should be censured for ‘shameful’ protest

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) should be censured for his “shameful” protest during President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.

The comments from Johnson came minutes after Trump wrapped up his speech, during which Green was removed from the House chamber after his disruptive display.

“Absolutely shameful. He should be censured,” Johnson said when asked by The Hill about the protest. “It’s a spectacle that was not necessary. He's made history in a terrible way, and I hope he enjoys it.”

“If they want to make a 77-year-old heckling Congressman the face of their resistance, if that's the Democrat party, so be it,” he added. “But we will not tolerate it on the House floor.”

Johnson said he was “quite certain” that “many” House Republicans would propose a resolution to censure Green, which he would “absolutely” bring to the floor for consideration.

Within minutes of Trump’s speech Tuesday night, when the president was discussing his “mandate” to serve, Green — who has served in the House for two decades — stood up and began shouting back at the president, arguing that he did not have a mandate. Republicans broke out in chants of “USA.”

After continued shouting by Green, Johnson slammed his gavel and said “members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions. That’s your warning.”

“Members are engaging in willful and continuing breach of decorum, and the chair is prepared to direct the sergeant at arms to restore order to the joint session,” he added.

“Mr. Green, take your seat,” Johnson said. “Take your seat sir.”

When the yelling did not subside, Johnson ordered the sergeant at arms to remove Green from the chamber. Republicans started singing “Hey, hey, hey, goodbye” to Green.

After exiting the chamber, Green told reporters he did not regret his protest during the speech.

“It's worth it to let people know that there are some people who are going to stand up” to Trump, Green said.

House Republicans will likely race to introduce a resolution to censure Green. Before Trump’s speech, the board of the conservative House Freedom Caucus threatened to censure any Democratic lawmaker who disrupted the president’s address.

“The President's address to tonight’s joint session of Congress is a constitutional obligation — not a sideshow for Democrats to use noisemakers, make threats, throw things or otherwise disrupt. Our colleagues are on notice that the heckler's veto will not be tolerated,” the group wrote. “You will be censured. We expect the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police to take appropriate action against any Members of Congress or other persons violating House rules.”

It was not only Republicans who criticized Green’s protest. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told The Hill after the speech that the Texas Democrat’s display was “counterproductive.”

“I think to stand up and say, you know, he doesn’t have a mandate to cut Medicare, fine, but I think he, I think it went beyond decorum,” he said.