Dueling Al Green censure efforts stir frustrations within GOP as Republicans demand consequences

Competing resolutions to censure Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, are causing some division within the House GOP on Wednesday.

A resolution to punish Green over the incident is likely to pass, even with Republicans' razor-thin majority in the House. But differing ideas over how to get there have led to some frustrations between separate House GOP factions.

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-WA, a moderate Republican, announced Wednesday he intends to force a vote on his own bill via a privileged resolution, meaning House leaders are forced to take it up within two days of the House being in session.

It accused Green of having "repeatedly violated the rules of decorum in the House of Representatives during President Donald J. Trump's joint address to Congress," according to text provided to Fox News Digital.

Notably, Newhouse is one of two House Republicans left in Congress who voted to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot - a fact that backers of a competing censure resolution seized on.

Fox News Digital was told he had begun work on his resolution against Green on Tuesday night.

The next morning, the House Freedom Caucus announced it would be filing legislation to censure the Texas Democrat, led by Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. 

Nehls' bill currently has nearly 30 Republican co-sponsors, including members of the House Freedom Caucus, a source told Fox News Digital.

But two other sources familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital that Newhouse's resolution is most likely to be taken up by House GOP leadership.

A House GOP senior aide said in response, "It's just tone deaf to even think that leadership would run with a censure from one of the two remaining GOP members who voted to impeach President Trump."

"It would be an obvious play to help shield him from another close primary challenge," the aide said.

But a second senior House GOP aide countered that, telling Fox News Digital that House GOP leadership had been aware of Newhouse's plans on Tuesday night.

Newhouse reached out to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., immediately after Trump's address and both agreed on the need to censure Green, the second aide said.

The senior aide said there was "no better individual" to lead the resolution given the level of respect afforded to Newhouse by fellow House Republicans. 

They also pointed out that Newhouse has already fended off tough primary challenges from his right, noting Trump likes winners, and that Newhouse praised Trump after the address on Tuesday night.

Nehls, meanwhile, is still undeterred. His office told Fox News Digital that he intends to move full steam and introduced his resolution on Wednesday afternoon.

House GOP leaders have already signaled they would look at punishing Green for his outburst.

"I'm willing to suffer whatever punishment is available to me. I didn't say to anyone, don't punish me. I've said I'll accept the punishment," Green said, according to the White House press pool report.

"But it's worth it to let people know that there are some of us who are going to stand up against this president's desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security."

When reached for comment, Johnson's office pointed Fox News Digital to the speaker's earlier comments on Newhouse's resolution.

"I believe it is the first one out of the gate," he said. "I think [Green's protest is] unprecedented. Certainly in the modern era. It wasn't an excited utterance. It was a, you know, planned, prolonged protest."