<ul class="summary-list"><li>The House voted to strip Rep. <keyword id="9740457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="marjorie-taylor-greene">Marjorie Taylor Greene</keyword> of her committee assignments Thursday.</li><li>She will effectively lose her seats on the House Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee.</li><li>Greene has faced criticism since reports detailed her public endorsement of political violence.</li></ul>The House of Representatives on Thursday voted in favor of a resolution to strip freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia <keyword id="155317" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Republican">Republican</keyword>, of two committee assignments in response to her promotion of a slew of conspiracy theories and her endorsement of political violence. Greene will lose her seats on the Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee.The 230-199 vote came Thursday night after members of both parties gave impassioned speeches about the matter. In a surprise to members of both parties, 11 Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the resolution.The Republicans who broke ranks were Reps. Carlos Gimenez, Mark Jacobs, John Katko, Young Kim, Adam Kinzinger, Nicole Malliotakis, Maria Elvira Salazar, Mario Diaz-Balart, Chris Smith, Fred Upton, and Brian Fitzpatrick.Democrats condemned Greene's endorsement of violence against Democrats and her support of right-wing conspiracy theories, while many in the <keyword id="107893" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="GOP">GOP</keyword> caucus denounced the resolution as an attempt by Democrats to "cancel" a member of the opposing party.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ron-desantis-2024-president-biden-florida-governor-2022-covid-plan-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet the Republican governor who is already on the attack against President Biden. Democrats have tagged him as 'Trump's errand boy.'</a>Thursday's move comes after several recent <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> reports that detailed Greene's endorsement or tacit support of violence against Democrats and other political opponents:<ul><li><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/02/marjorie-taylor-greene-facebook-john-birch-society/">Mother Jones reported</a> that Greene was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-moderated-facebook-group-death-threats-report-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the moderator of a Facebook group</a> that had posted several memes advocating executing Democrats.</li><li><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-democrats-violence/index.html">CNN reported</a> that Greene had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-expressed-support-for-assassinating-democrats-cnn-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed support</a> on her own Facebook page for assassinating top Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.</li><li>In January 2019, she liked a Facebook comment saying Nancy Pelosi, who had just become the House speaker after Democrats regained control of the chamber, should get a "bullet to the head," CNN reported.</li><li>Greene liked other Facebook comments that called for the execution of FBI agents, CNN said.</li><li>In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-marjorie-taylor-greene-harass-parkland-survivor-david-hogg-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently surfaced video</a>, Greene could be seen harassing a survivor of the Parkland school shooting. She's claimed the tragedy <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/false-flag-conspiracy-theory/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-facebook-2018-parkland-school-shooting-was">was a false-flag operation</a>.</li></ul>She's also drawn scrutiny for promoting racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. The left-leaning watchdog group <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/facebook/marjorie-taylor-greene-penned-conspiracy-theory-laser-beam-space-started-deadly-2018">Media Matters for America reported recently</a> that Greene had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-greene-pushed-conspiracy-that-space-laser-ignited-california-wildfire-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared posts on social media</a> about a conspiracy theory claiming that a space laser linked to Rothschild Inc. was responsible for the deadly California wildfires in 2018.Shortly before the House voted to advance the resolution on Thursday, Greene <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-qanon-support-house-speech-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made a floor speech</a> clarifying some of her comments. She acknowledged, among other things, that the September 11 terrorist attacks actually happened and that "school shootings are absolutely real." The lawmaker also explained how she "stumbled across" the <keyword id="9152811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="qanon">QAnon</keyword> conspiracy theory in late 2017."And I got very interested in it, so I posted about it on Facebook. I read about it, I talked about, I asked questions about it," Greene said, adding that "a lot of Americans don't trust our government, and that's sad.""The problem with that, though, is that I was allowed to believe things that weren't true, and I would ask questions about them and talk about them," Greene said.Referring to her Facebook activity promoting violence against political opponents, Greene said, "I absolutely regret that." She added that "if it weren't for the Facebook posts and comments that I liked in 2018," she would not be faced with losing her House committee assignments.House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy <a href="https://twitter.com/tarapalmeri/status/1357091831494934543">told his caucus</a> on Wednesday that he supported Greene remaining on both committees. In a <a href="https://www.republicanleader.gov/leader-mccarthys-statement-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene/">statement</a> on Wednesday evening, he accused Democrats of executing a "partisan power grab."House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer met with McCarthy on Wednesday to discuss a compromise on the response to Greene, but the two could not come to an agreement. McCarthy offered to remove Greene from the Education and Labor Committee and place her instead on the Small Business Committee, but Hoyer rejected that. Hoyer <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderHoyer/status/1357012103345938434">later said</a> that "it is clear there is no alternative to holding a floor vote on the resolution to remove Rep. Greene from her committee assignments."<div type="image" title="gop house kevin mccarthy us capitol" height="1249" width="2500" msid="80696507" hostid="261"></div>Later Wednesday, the House Rules Committee debated whether to strip Greene of her committee assignments. The chairman, Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, said he thought that Greene should resign and that stripping her of her assignments was the "minimum" action the House could take."We have never had a hearing like this before," McGovern said. "This is truly sick stuff."While most Republicans voted to formally condemn QAnon in a resolution last year, former President Donald Trump has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-praises-qanon-conspiracists-because-they-like-me-very-much-2020-8">embraced</a> the conspiracy-theory movement, and at least two Republican members of <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> have expressed support for it. Amid the partisan debate over whether to punish Greene, Democrats have sought to paint her and other QAnon-sympathizing Republicans as the face of the GOP.In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pelosi-denounces-kevin-mccarthy-q-ca-in-press-release-2021-2">press release</a> on Wednesday, Pelosi referred to McCarthy as "McCarthy (Q-CA).""McCarthy's failure to lead his party effectively hands the keys over to Greene - an <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/jewish-groups-gop-marjorie-taylor-greene-1565413">anti-Semite</a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/08/12/901628541/qanon-supporter-who-made-bigoted-videos-wins-ga-primary-likely-heading-to-congre">QAnon adherent</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/13/trump-backed-candidate-marjorie-taylor-greene-promotes-911-conspiracy-theory/?sh=1ba10bff0c32">9/11 Truther</a>," Pelosi said in the statement, which included condemnations of Greene from a host of GOP lawmakers.Many Republicans, including leadership, have criticized Greene's beliefs and past comments. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week called Greene's "loony lies" a "cancer for the Republican Party.""Somebody who's suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.'s airplane is not living in reality," McConnell said in a statement.Utah Sen. Mitt Romney also denounced Greene, calling her a "kook" and a "wacky weed."Other Republican senators have dodged commenting on her altogether. On Tuesday, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tommy-tuberville-says-he-cant-comment-marjorie-taylor-greene-weather-2021-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he didn't know anything about Greene because bad weather had prevented him from reading the news.Many Republicans have argued that the vote on Greene is a slippery slope because it empowers the majority party to strip members of the minority of their committee assignments.Democrats have said they're fine with setting a precedent to punish members who voice opinions as dangerous as Greene's."If anybody starts threatening the lives of members of Congress on the Democratic side, we'd be the first to eliminate them from committees," Pelosi <a href="https://twitter.com/DaniellaMicaela/status/1357354611129073667">said</a> on Thursday. "They had the opportunity to do so."Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert on Wednesday said Democrats would "start a war" with their move. Rep. Brian Babin, also from Texas, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-ilhan-omar-congressional-reublicans-strip-from-committees-2021-2">proposed a resolution</a> earlier this week to replace Greene's name with that of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota."If the Democrat Majority wants to go down this road, they should start by dealing with their own members who have been at this before and AFTER their election to Congress," he <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBrianBabin/status/1356759394084651010">tweeted</a>, alluding to the timing of Greene's incendiary comments before she was elected.The Republican Party has in the past stripped a member of his committee assignments. In January 2019, Republicans removed Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, from committees after <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/us/politics/steve-king-trump-immigration-wall.html">an interview with The New York Times</a> in which he questioned why white supremacy and white nationalism were considered offensive.

House votes to strip far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments

By January 2016, the last Republican congressional seat in New York City may very well be occupied by an admitted tax fraudster, a district attorney at the center of the nationwide controversy over alleged police brutality, or&#xa0;one of the GOP's most promising rising stars.
One thing's for certain, it's going to be one of the next year's best political storylines to watch.&#xa0;
On Tuesday, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-New York) pleaded guilty to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/prosecutors-explained-congressmans-alleged-tax-cheating-with-two-handy-charts-2014-4">tax fraud charges stemming from a Manhattan health food restaurant he co-owned from 2007-2010</a>. Grimm, whose district includes Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, could face jail time.&#xa0;
This sets up an intriguing scenario. Democrats have called for Grimm's resignation and, with another federal investigation into his campaign finances looming in the background,&#xa0;GOP House leadership may decide to push him out to avoid tarnishing their "new American Congress."
If Grimm is expelled,&#xa0;it would set the stage for an election featuring a fascinating selection of Republican candidates - the "rising star," Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R), and the embattled prosecutor, Dan Donovan. And, naturally, with a scandal damaging the GOP incumbent, Democrats are drooling over the prospect of picking up the seat.&#xa0;
Grimm doesn't seem likely to walk away without a fight. After making his guilty plea, Grimm, who is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-grimm-apologizes-threat-scotto-balcony-break-in-half-2014-1">infamous for his temper</a>, indicated he has <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/calls-michael-grimm-resignation-mount-guilty-plea-tax/story?id=27790586">no plans to resign</a>.
Still, the decision may not be Grimm's to make.
A local GOP insider noted House Speaker John Boehner may decide he "can't have it," because Grimm is a black mark on the Republican brand.
"Even though he's the only representative in the city with their majority, it becomes a cost benefit analysis and they might cut him loose," the insider said in a phone conversation Tuesday.&#xa0;
New York election <keyword id="6355470" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Law">law</keyword> expert Jerry Goldfeder of the Stroock law firm told Business Insider that House Republican leadership could expel Grimm. They also have several options to put pressure on him. 
"They could strip him of his seniority, committee memberships, etc.," Goldfeder explained in an email.&#xa0;
In spite of Grimm's aggressive personality, the Republican insider suggested Grimm would give in and resign himself in the face of opposition from GOP leaders. They speculated he might prefer to make his own resignation and avoid the embarrassment that would come with an expulsion or other punishments.
"I&#xa0;think there's a distinct possibility the pressure becomes too much from national Republicans and they force him out," the insider said.&#xa0;
According to Goldfeder, Grimm, who will be sentenced on June 8, could technically still remain in the House if he is sent to jail. However, Goldfeder predicted Grimm would almost surely be ousted if his sentence includes jail time.
"As a practical matter, if he gets jail and refuses to resign they will undoubtedly expel him," wrote Goldfeder.&#xa0;
So far, Republican House Speaker John Boehner hasn't hinted at how he plans to deal with Grimm.&#xa0;On Tuesday morning, Boehner's spokesman, Michael Steel, released a statement indicating the speaker would need to speak with Grimm before making any decision public.&#xa0;
Grimm did not talk with Boehner by the end of the day.
A Democrat in the district told Business Insider they doubt Grimm will leave office on his own. Still, they suggested the guilty plea would kill his chances of being re-elected in 2016.
"In my experience with this guy, he's a narcissistic sociopath. He's not going anywhere unless he's forced to," said the Democrat. "That being said, he's got a short shelf life no matter what."
If Grimm leaves his seat before his term ends at the end of 2016, there will be a special election to replace him where local leaders from each party pick the candidates.
Business Insider spoke to a slew of local political insiders and observers to see who is likely to be on the ballot - either in an early special election or in a 2016 race against a scandal-scarred Grimm.
All of them identified the same two names as the most likely entrants on the Republican side - Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R) and&#xa0;Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan.
Several sources have said in recent months that they believe Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R) is the top candidate to replace Grimm. Malliotakis, a telegenic 34-year-old, has been <a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/gop_assemblywoman_malliotakis_4.html">recognized as a "rising star" by national conservative groups and media outlets</a>.&#xa0;
"Right now, we're thinking that the smart money is probably on Assemblywoman Malliotakis," a knowledgeable Republican source said when asked about possible successors for Grimm on Tuesday. "She's someone who certainly would outgrow the Assembly in time."
However, while Malliotakis might be able to win the district in 2016, she might not be the local GOP's first choice if Grimm is ousted and there is a special election. Three separate sources who spoke to Business Insider on Tuesday indicated Malliotakis has a terrible relationship with Staten Island's Richmond County Republican Committee.&#xa0;
"They cannot stand her," the Democrat said.
They went on to explain some of the reasons for the bad blood between Malliotakis and the local Republican Party.
"She's her own worst enemy because, one, she's not a team player. Two, she takes credit for other peoples' work, which is a cardinal sin in this business, and she's transparent in her ambitions," the Democrat said. "She's done nothing to endear herself to them."
The GOP insider echoed this assessment and added Malliotakis hasn't gotten along with state Republican officials.
"Clearly she wants it," said the insider. "She's got unending ambition, but she hasn't played well in Albany or locally."
Malliotakis <a href="http://nypost.com/2014/04/29/assemblywoman-malliotakis-plans-run-for-grimms-seat/">reportedly discussed a potential run for the seat with donors</a>&#xa0;and the National Republican Congressional Committee after Grimm was first indicted in April. At the time, Malliotakis said she remained "focused" on her current position. However, she did not deny she was laying groundwork for a campaign. Malliotakis did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on Tuesday.
Along with Malliotakis, Donovan seems to be one of the leading options Republicans have to replace Grimm - and sources said he would be far likelier to be the local party's first choice for a special election.
The GOP insider said he would "have the immediate support" of the local party and "all the elected officials on Staten Island" if he wanted to run to succeed Grimm. According to the Democrat in the district, Donovan would be a "perfect" choice for Republicans if they want to hold on to Grimm's seat.&#xa0;
"If he wants it, it's his," they said.
Donovan has found himself at the center of a national controversy in recent months. As district attorney, Donovan is the prosecutor who did not secure a grand jury indictment against a police officer who was videotaped putting an unarmed African American man, Eric Garner, in a chokehold in August.
Garner, who was being arrested for selling untaxed cigarettes, died while being taken into custody. Protests <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-protests-grand-jury-decision-of-eric-garner-2014-12">erupted around the country</a> after the grand jury's decision not to indict was announced earlier this month and Donovan's handling of the case has been criticized. He has attempted to defend himself by arguing he cannot discuss the case in detail due to confidentiality laws surrounding grand jury proceedings.
The GOP insider acknowledged Donovan has "taken a hit on Garner," though they described this as unfair "because he can't tell you what happened in the grand jury."
While they admitted the case hurt Donovan somewhat, the insider predicted his role in it might actually improve Donovan's&#xa0;standing among Staten Island's conservative base. They suggested this phenomenon could be amplified by the fact the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/de-blasio-cop-killing-was-attack-on-all-of-us-2014-12">killing of two NYPD officers</a> on Saturday by a gunman who expressed sympathy with those who protested the grand jury decision caused the "pro cop" sentiment on Staten Island to increase.
"The righteous anger in the majority of Staten Island is pro cop," said the insider. "It is boiling over and the anger is in the pro cop community, it's in Danny's base."
They also noted black voters on Staten Island have historically low turnout and don't "come out en masse in non-presidential years."
Grimm gave the Republicans a third straight win in the district when won his re-election race this year by a wide margin. Despite this streak, Democrats still have their eye on the seat. In fact, it was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/five-key-house-campaigns-democrats-are-watching-now-2014-10">one of their top priorities this year</a>.&#xa0;
Several sources also identified two candidates, Michael McMahon and Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D), when Business Insider asked which Democrats might run for Grimm's seat - either in 2016 or a special election. And despite the recent spate of GOP victories in the district, local politicos said neither Democrat should be counted out.&#xa0;
The GOP insider described Cusick as "universally the most liked" Democrat on the island.
"He's just a good guy," they said. "He's the guy who always wanted this seat."&#xa0;
The Democrat agreed Cusick has had his eye on Grimm's job "forever" and suggested the only question is whether he thought the timing was right.&#xa0;
A major factor in whether Cusick decides to make a run for the seat will be whether McMahon also enters the fray. McMahon previously represented the district for one term before being defeated by Grimm amid the Tea Party wave in the 2010 midterm elections.
The Democrat said McMahon has "not made any secret of the fact that he is interested" in running for his old office. And the&#xa0;GOP insider said they think McMahon would be "the last person standing" if party leaders were left with a choice between him and Cusick as he would give Democrats "their best chance of winning."
Neither McMahon or Cusick responded to requests for comment from Business Insider on Tuesday.&#xa0;
The GOP insider predicted McMahon could outmaneuver Cusick in an internal struggle, but they also questioned whether he would &#xa0;throw his hat into the ring. According to the insider, McMahon,&#xa0;who was criticized by some in his own party for his handling of the race against Grimm,&#xa0;might not want to try again "particularly if it's against Danny Donovan."
"McMahon/Donovan, that's a doozy," they said. "That's a heavyweight fight."
As of now, Grimm is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 6.&#xa0;

The Wildest Story In The Republican Party Right Now 

A special election to replace a controversial former New York City congressman could have national implications for the Republican Party.
Both activists and Republican operatives say the likely frontrunner to run on the GOP line could cause widespread protests that would do lasting damage to the party's attempts to diversify its brand.
At the same time, another candidate who one GOP insider suggested could be a "face" of the party's future seems to be falling out of the race due to what some have described as a "boy's club" and another called "petty" local <keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Politics">politics</keyword>. 
Michael Grimm's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/congressman-will-resign-after-pleading-guilty-to-tax-fraud-2014-12">decision to resign after pleading guilty to a tax fraud charge</a> late last month means there will be a special election in his district, which includes the borough Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. This means local GOP leaders will pick the candidate who will run on each party line in an election that will be held on a date specified by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
Multiple local officials have said Republican leadership in the district is eager to back Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan.
Though he seems to have the support of local GOP officials, civil rights groups are set to stage protests if Donovan runs for the seat due to his role in a grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer in the apparent chokehold death of an unarmed black man named Eric Garner on Staten Island last summer. Both activists and Republican insiders say these demonstrations could have a devastating effect on the&#xa0;<a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/01/25/265992565/eyes-on-2016-gop-revisits-the-rebranding">rebranding effort</a>&#xa0;aimed at reaching out to a more diverse selection of voters that the party launched after losing the 2012 presidential election.&#xa0;
Kirsten John Foy is the northeast regional director of Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, a civil rights group that has led many of the protests in the wake of Garner's death and other killings of unarmed African American men by police officers in recent months. In an interview with Business Insider last week, Foy said he thought Donovan was "losing his mind" for thinking he should run.
"You have a GOP that's trying to position itself as a friend to communities of color and you're going to have the nemesis of justice run under your banner?" Foy said of Donovan.&#xa0;
Though he said there have been no "formal meetings" yet, Foy predicted activists would stage protests against Donovan throughout the campaign if he is chosen to run.
"The sentiment among the entire activist and civil rights community and the sent among the core of the Democratic Party is that we cannot allow this man to take his values to Washington to represent New York City," said Foy.
Garner died after being taken into custody for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes. Video footage of the incident <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reports-a-grand-jury-just-declined-to-indict-in-another-major-police-death-case-2014-12">showed officer Daniel Pantaleo seeming to put Garner in a chokehold</a>, a practice that has been banned by the New York City Police Department. After the grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo, Donovan's handling of the prosecution <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-prosecutors-screwed-up-in-ferguson-and-eric-garner-cases-2014-12">was widely criticized</a>.
Foy echoed this critique when asked about Donovan mounting a congressional bid.
"You can rest assured that civil rights groups and others are not going to sit back and allow Dan Donovan to redefine himself as the capable public servant he has proven himself not to be," said Foy.
Donovan has repeatedly said he can't discuss details of the grand jury investigation. His office also declined to comment on this story.&#xa0;
Weeks of civil rights protests against a GOP candidate would hardly help the party's rebranding and minority outreach efforts. A Republican operative who talked to Business Insider last week said the special election would become "the Garner race" if the local party officials tap Donovan to run.
"The party has made tremendous inroads, I think, in reaching out to minority communities, non-white communities, however you want to classify them. The jury's still out on its effectiveness, but they've made a conscious effort to go do that," the operative said. "And the minute we put Dan Donovan up there, because he happened to be the D.A. in the Garner case, that becomes the only issue in this race."
And the operative said they expect the race would be a high profile one due to the fact it is occurring outside of a normal election cycle and Staten Island's proximity to "the number one media market in the world."&#xa0;
"Every special has national visibility," they explained. "Every reporter who wants to cover this race, those that aren't in New York are an Amtrak ride to Manhattan. ... They take a subway and a ferry ride and they're on the island. Everyone's going to cover this race."
While Donovan's ties to the Garner case would likely earn him opposition from activists, the Washington Republican suggested this could actually help him in the conservative confines of Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.
"If Al Sharpton wants to weigh in, it would help Donovan," they said. "He can say, 'I'm not just running against the democrat, 'I'm running against Sharpton, Bill de Blasio, and Nancy Pelosi.'"
At the same time, Donovan's association to the controversy over Garner's death could cause problems for Republicans beyond the borders of Grimm's old district.
The operative suggested a Donovan campaign could cause problems for the Republican leadership that just took control of Congress.&#xa0;
"If you're worried about what you're doing in the next three months in the House and the Senate and your agenda gets taken away because of a big protest in the Garner race ... what does that do to your national message?" said the operative.&#xa0;
The operative also suggested the controversy for Donovan would make it hard for other Republicans or the party's campaign committees to support him.&#xa0;
"Every&#xa0;House member that writes a check to Danny Donovan is going to have to answer to their local papers. 'Why did you do this? And, 'Where are you on the Garner case?'" they said. "Many of these guys haven't had to speak up on this yet."&#xa0;
Foy also predicted Donovan would be a tempting target for those looking to attack the GOP.
"Democrats will eat this alive," he said.
Foy also said he believes the impact of a Donovan victory could extend beyond this year and into the 2016 presidential campaign.
"I will tell you who I think is going to love the idea of Dan Donovan representing Staten Island in Congress; Hillary Clinton," said Foy, later adding, "We will have a DNC that will love to have a right wing guy like Dan Donovan in Congress that they can just beat up in every community of color across this nation. Eric Garner is a household name ... and you were the guy who made him a household name. If Pantaleo had gotten indicted, you would not have the kind of energized movement that you have."
Multiple sources who spoke to Business Insider also argued selecting Donovan would mean local Republican officials would actually be blocking a candidate who could help the party's national rebranding effort.
Nicole Malliotakis is a 34-year-old Republican state assemblywoman who has said&#xa0;<a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/12/assemblywoman_nicole_malliotak_6.html">she's "taking a serious look"</a>&#xa0;at launching a campaign. Her relative youth, Latina heritage, and gender make Malliotakis exactly the type of recruit the party's national leadership has tried to court as part of its diversification efforts.
"From a branding perspective, Malliotakis would be a dream candidate," one Washington Republican told Business Insider last week.
However, multiple local politicos have said Malliotakis&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-wildest-story-in-the-republican-party-right-now-2014-12">has a strained relationship with the local Republican Party leaders in the district</a>&#xa0;who favor Donovan.
The GOP operative said Donovan might have an "easier time" winning the special election than Malliotakis because he already represents all of Staten Island while her Assembly district just covers a portion. Still, they suggested picking Donovan would be an unnecessary risk for the local party in a district that traditionally leans Republican.&#xa0;
"Nicole could win this race and Donovan can win this race," they said. "But why would you want to make the Garner issue front and center on this race?"
However, the operative acknowledged tensions between Malliotakis and local Republican officials that could prevent her from being their pick.
"You have ... a potential up and comer in the party who is just being whisked aside right now," said the operative. "You look, she's the daughter of a Cuban exile. ... The party doesn't have enough women. Well, here's a woman. A Spanish, woman, Republican, conservative. She's pro-life. What's the matter here? ... She's just not being looked at because of the local petty politics."
One local Democrat who discussed the special election with Business Insider suggested the poor relationship between Malliotakis and the Staten Island Republican Party is due to the fact the local GOP leadership is a "boy's club." The Republican operative argued it is more an issue of local party officials being unwilling to back an outsider who hasn't "put in her time."
"You're talking about a bunch of guys sitting around and they see a young woman who's an up and comer and she's the only woman. It becomes a question of, 'Gee, is she going to do something we don't agree with? Can we control her? Has she put in her time yet?'" the operative said. "I think one of the biggest things they're saying about Danny Donovan is that it's his turn."
The operative argued this type of thinking has contributed to the GOP's past lack of diversity.
"We have a long history of who's turn it's been and they've not been the best person for the job," they said. "If it was her turn, they'd be happy with it. I think that's part of the challenge. How do you diversify a party, how do you build up the rank and file when there aren't people running that aren't just white guys. How do you bring people into this party if all you put out is white guys?"
While they agreed early chatter and coverage makes it seem like Donovan will get the nod from the local leaders, the Washington Republican suggested the situation could change. Specifically they said the local GOP be influenced by looking at the positive reaction to the party's most recent crop of freshmen on Capitol Hill, which includes, Elise Stefanik, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elise-stefanik-future-of-the-gop-ny-21-district-positions-2014-11">the youngest woman to serve in Congress</a> and the first black female member of the House Republican conference.
"The early sort of press has gone to Donovan and I think there's definitely&#xa0;room for kind of a, 'Hey, wait a minute. The Republicans kind of came from an election&#xa0;where they had these great candidates and this one sort of fits the mold," they said of Malliotakis.
If she is selected by the local party leadership, the Washington Republican predicted Malliotakis could be a major part of the GOP's brand going forward.
"She could join Elise Stefanik as the face of, not just the New York delegation, but as the&#xa0;face of the House Republicans."
For her part, Malliotakis simply told Business Insider she believes her experience representing an Assembly district that covers both Staten Island and Brooklyn makes her uniquely qualified for a seat that includes both boroughs.
"I think being a representative of Brooklyn and Staten Island, I have a unique perspective of the needs and concerns of all sides of the district," she said. &#xa0;

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Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan is "very seriously" considering <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-wildest-story-in-the-republican-party-right-now-2014-12">a campaign</a> for outgoing Rep. Michael Grimm's (R-New York) seat.
Grimm pleaded guilty to a felony tax evasion charge last week and subsequently <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/congressman-will-resign-after-pleading-guilty-to-tax-fraud-2014-12">announced his intent to resign on Monday night</a>.&#xa0;Donovan, a Republican, said his phone "has been ringing off the hook" since then.
"I am deeply flattered by the enthusiastic expressions of support I have received over the last 12 hours, and I am very seriously considering the race. I will make an announcement after the due deliberation such an important decision deserves," Donovan said Tuesday morning in a statement from his office.
Donovan made national headlines after a local grand jury dismissed his office's charges against the white police officer who was videotaped placing Eric Garner, an unarmed African-American man, in an apparent chokehold last summer. Garner died during the arrest and the grand jury's decision in early December touched off intense protests in New York and across the country.
Both parties are expected to mount special election campaigns for Grimm's district, which is traditionally Republican but was won by President Barack Obama in 2012. Other <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-wildest-story-in-the-republican-party-right-now-2014-12">potential candidates include</a>&#xa0;former Rep. Vito Fossella (R-New York), GOP Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, Democratic Assemblyman Mike Cusick, and former Rep. Mike McMahon (D-New York), whom Grimm unseated in 2010.
In New York, special elections do not have party primaries and a local group of party insiders select their nominees. A source <a href="previously%20">previously told Business Insider</a> that Donovan would have "the immediate support" of the Staten Island GOP and, according <a href="http://observer.com/2014/12/staten-island-prosectuor-clear-front-runner-to-replace-michael-grimm-sources/">to a New York Observer</a>&#xa0;report Monday night, Donovan has been laying the groundwork for a bid.
"Dan is almost certainly in and is lining up his support," a source close to the Staten Island Republican Party told the Observer. "He will probably emerge as the clear front-runner for the party's support."
Grimm's resignation takes effect Jan. 5.
Updated (10:56 a.m.): With additional context for the race.

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