Are you surprised that after three weeks of political turmoil, MAGA ratf–king and homophobic nuttery, the Republicans suddenly got it together over the course of 24 hours and have now confirmed a Speaker of the House? Once Tom Emmer got taken to the woodshed by the craziest members of the GOP caucus, I figured we would have another two weeks of chaos. But no – they pushed Rep. Mike Johnson through on Wednesday. He won 220 votes. So who is Mike Johnson of Louisiana? A bigot, a ratf–ker, a homophobe, a Christofascist and the man who will do the most to serve Donald Trump’s interests. From WaPo:
He opposed certifying the 2020 election:
Johnson, 51, contested the results of the 2020 election — urging President Donald Trump to “stay strong and keep fighting” as he tried to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in the presidential race. Johnson also objected to certifying Biden’s electoral win and was one of the architects of a legal attack on the election that consisted of arguing that states’ voting accommodations during the pandemic were unconstitutional. He led a group of 126 Republican lawmakers in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court alleging that authorities in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan had “usurped” the constitutional authority of state legislatures when they loosened voting restrictions because of the pandemic. The court rejected the underlying complaint — filed by the state of Texas — citing a lack of standing, and dismissed all other related motions, including the amicus brief.He voted against further Ukraine aid:
Johnson, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, was one of 57 lawmakers — all of them Republicans — who voted against a $39.8 billion aid package for Ukraine in May.He is antiabortion:
Johnson, a constitutional lawyer who identifies as a Christian, opposes abortion and has celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that had established constitutional protections for abortions nationwide.He is a close ally of Donald Trump’s:
Johnson is a close ally of Trump’s, having served on Trump’s legal defense team during his two impeachment trials in the Senate.He has called charges against Trump — which include a federal case relating to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election — “bogus,” and has said the legal and political systems have treated Trump unfairly.He supports LGBTQ+ restrictions:
Johnson has positioned himself on the far right of the political spectrum on several social issues, even within the current conservative Republican conference. Notably, he introduced legislation last year — modeled after Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill — that would have prohibited discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as related subjects, at any institution that received federal funds. The Human Rights Campaign, a pro-LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, gave Johnson a score of zero in its latest congressional scorecard.
Unsurprisingly, WaPo is actually soft-pedaling Johnson’s homophobic bigotry – for years, he has supported the criminalization of gay sex and the criminalization of anything and anyone not cisgendered and heterosexual. He is a far-right extremist on LGBTQ issues, reproductive issues and democracy itself. He began his first day as Speaker by making a churchy speech from his new pulpit. Hakeem Jeffries also spoke on the floor and that grotesque nutjob Marjorie Taylor Green actually tried to shout him down. We are so f–ked.
Ladies and gentlemen, the definition of a christofascist:pic.twitter.com/CALdPAtH4C
— Patricia (@planetplantgirl) October 25, 2023
“Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. He’s doing a great job under difficult circumstances — and no amount of election denialism will ever change that reality.”
— Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), after election-denier Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) is elected Speaker pic.twitter.com/RbacgT4CVC
— The Recount (@therecount) October 25, 2023
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) formally announces his win as the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Johnson was the second nominee of the day, with Majority Whip United States Representative Tom Emmer (Republican of Minnesota) dropping out just hours after his win. The party first nominated United States House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican of Louisiana), who dropped out shortly after winning the nomination due to lack of support. United States Representative Jim Jordan (Republican of Ohio) won the second nomination, however, was unable to get 217 votes on the House Floor after multiple rounds of voting. Kevin McCarthy (Republican of California) was recently ousted from the Speakership. Featuring: United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) formally announces his win as the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Johnson was the second nominee of the day, with Majority Whip United States Representative Tom Emmer (Republican of Minnesota) dropping out just hours after his win. The party first nominated United States House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican of Louisiana), who dropped out shortly after winning the nomination due to lack of support. United States Representative Jim Jordan (Republican of Ohio) won the second nomination, however, was unable to get 217 votes on the House Floor after multiple rounds of voting. Kevin McCarthy (Republican of California) was recently ousted from the Speakership. Featuring: United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
Like I said here the other day, the insurrection is alive & is thriving.
Republicans aren’t stupid nor incompetent.
And it’s working.
The big picture: the judges, tuberville, SCOTUS, gerrymandering, now this, the list of how they are taking over the US is frightening.
THIS. It is alarming what they are doing and people need to take notice.
It is also alarming that Democrats continue to sit on their hands. Shouldn’t this creep be under investigation/disqualified as speaker for being involved in an insurrection against the US government?
The way he talks about all of those freaks being put there by god sends chills down my spine.
They are setting up the 2024 election. And with what Trump said at his rally last weekend about the 2024 election. God help us. Vote BLUE like your life depends on it because it really does now more than ever.
Yep. I’m hoping that we can get the House to flip. I’m trying really hard not to think about what could happen to this country— and beyond — if a degenerate and even more emboldened Trump has his way.
Frightening. So god wanted this guy as Speaker? I needed that Hakeem Jeffries clip as a palate cleanser.
Agree 💯! This a slow coup/insurrection. The GOP with their unanimous vote for this complete lunatic as speaker (1 vote absent) proves they are all MAGA through and through. Next step? Shut down the govt. Then w/MAGA SCOTUS, take away rights and push us back to the dark ages. Finally, if Biden wins, they won’t certify the election and hand it to Mango Mussolini. I’ll stop-it’s all been said. To say I’m horrified and angry is putting it mildly.
Ok, sorry, one final thought: The GOP (as a whole, long before Trump), and their overlord lobby the NRA are domestic terrorists. We’ve had another mass shooting-more mass shootings than days of the year in 2023! Gun violence is the #1 cause of death for American children. It’s a fucking epidemic that isn’t happening anywhere else in the world. It doesn’t have to be this way we could have gun control but the GOP and the NRA have a stranglehold on change. Just look at all those GOP congressmen/women wearing lapel pins of an AR-15/machine gun instead of the traditional American flag. The blood of mass shooting victims is on their hands and they don’t give a shit.
I think we would be hard pressed to find anyone from the GOP that does not suck. Trump has a hold on them that is crazy – a devil’s grip.
And Trump has this hold because of the party base, their actual voters. The only thing scarier than Republican elected officials is Republican voters. The people who live amongst us and who we interact with every day. The electeds have given them what they want and are terrified to cross them. Plus, they probably don’t want to cross them since they believe most of the bilge they disgorge. Right wing populism is the biggest threat to democracy.
I’ve been trying to drive this point home to my husband. He thinks this is all just the politicians doing this, but the truth is the more moderates are afraid of their own constituents not backing a more middle of the road approach and other citizens threatening them and their families. There is an entire hive mind of craziness going on in this country and we really have to understand that. It’s not like this guy is going to lose his next election, his constituents voted him in knowing who he is because they like it!
@Brassy Rebel, correct. Because their voters elected them in. But we also have politicians trying to take advantage of the craziness instead of stating what the reality is. But greed over power and money is a siren’s call to them and it will be their demise and ours unfortunately.
It blows my mind when I think Hillary lost to Benedict Donald. BLOWS MY MIND.
Exactly. The cult leaders can’t exist without their cult followers. But I’m sure what they’re doing in TX, FL, IA and other red state schools will make them smarter and less likely to fall prey to GOP manipulations…*sob*
it sounds like he should be in jail with the rest of them. but republicants don’t care about things like treason so they’re happy to vote in someone like this.
and how any woman ever votes for these people is really shocking — they literally want you on your hands and knees serving these lesser beings and so many women are signing up for the second-class status.
I was going to say we are doomed, but we are so f–ked says it better. This is exactly what the insurrectionists wanted all along. And here we are. Apparently, the alleged “moderates” in the caucus held out for weeks before caving because it was making the party look bad because of the dysfunction. No, what makes the party look bad is the raging lunatic fascist it has now installed as second in line to the presidency. The dysfunction was preferable.
I have hit a wall and can no longer read the news. I’m so terrified not only by what’s happening, but by the shrug given to me from the people I talk to about it. They are so numbed by the theatrics that they are just over it and think it’s all the same and will be fine. Meanwhile, if you put all the dots together, we are VERY close to 2024 being the year we fully lose our democracy. Imagine a crazy group of what, 25 out of 435, being able to hold the government for ransom until they could install one of their own and get exactly what they want? They have put in place a line of succession that is terrifying, and a way to block anyone but Trump or another hard liner from being certified president. The lunatics have taken over the asylum and there’s nothing we can do about it.
The numbing is all part of the plan…American complacency has led us to this moment of crisis.
Gaetz and company got exactly what they wanted – someone more extreme, more MAGA than McCarthy, who made the cardinal sin of compromising with Democrats to avoid the government shutdown and had given those MAGA extremists the power to vacate his seat when he sold his soul to them in order to gain the position in the first place. This shit didn’t backfire for them – only for the rest of us sane, normal people. The fact that Johnson is so unknown worked in his favor, as we are just realizing now. His positions are more extreme than any Speaker before him.
Johnson is so staunchly anti-abortion that he supports a federal ban with no exceptions, and he wants to punish doctors for performing them, he is someone who opposed Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court ruling that overturned state laws criminalizing sodomy laws (essentially homosexual activity amongst consenting adults), and likens supporting marriage rights for same-sex couples to wanting to marry your pet? And of course, the most important thing to Trump – he is an election denier and opposed the certification of electoral votes on Jan. 6th.
I saw Rep. Jamie Raskin say that if Johnson watched the “Handmaid’s Tale” – he wouldn’t be rooting for June Osborne, but rather, he would be rooting for Gilead.
Way to go MAGA 🖕
I’ve been having visions of Gilead becoming reality ever since Trump tear gassed protestors so he would wave a bible in front of a church. And that feeling has only been getting stronger.
There is no doubt that the Rs purposefully decided to sink even lower by choosing this guy (he’s Gym Jordan, but wears a suit jacket). But! I’m gonna dig deep to find some optimism. Now this guy has to govern and no matter what has to work across the aisle. With the same speed as a Trump gag order violation, this guy will become a pariah. He’s gonna end up making somebody mad when he has to work with Dems to pass legislation and he’ll be hated (and maybe voted out?) just like we’ve seen so many times before. I mean, this is not a great situation and the Rs are 100% trying to overthrow the government again, but we’re on to them this time and everyone is watching closely.
Thank you for digging deep for the optimism. I definitely tend to go dark. I’m really hoping that he gets that one-vote ousting before the next election cycle. Kinda feel like the new plan is to keep him there until the election though but may my pessimism be proven wrong 🤞
That’s what I was thinking. They love him now, but they can kick him out just as quickly as they got rid of McCarthy.
I would love to be optimistic, but I just don’t see it. This fascist won’t work with the Democrats, he just won’t. Having the government shut down and no actual legislating happen is not a by-product of their dumb-fuckery, it is exactly the point. They WANT the government to grind to a halt. It’s going to be an ugly two years.
“Chilling” is often overused but after hearing from the new Speaker I can’t think of anything more appropriate. To concur with your assessment, it is chilling exactly how f**ked the US may be next year.
The only thing is hope that between now and then something happens that causes his removal. The more we learn about this guy the more disturbing the picture. Jim Jordan may have been preferable because I do believe Jordan is an idiot. This guy seems way more dangerous.
@Feebee
Yes, this guy actually went to law school and was an attorney and senior legal counsel prior to his career in politics. Jordan did none of those things, and you are correct – he is a complete idiot.
The one thing we can count on though, is that Johnson will inevitably do something to fall from Trump’s good graces and get thrown under the proverbial bus, like everyone before him lol. Let’s hope it happens sooner than later.
I think it was pretty much a given that whomever they elected was going to be a Trump-approved insurrectionist. The scary thing is the news keeps describing him as 3rd up for the presidency. Thank goodness Biden seems healthy and we have a young, healthy VP.
I hate to sound horrible, but I think that if Biden died while in office, and Kamala was the only thing that was standing between these fascist fucknuts (with billionaire backing) and the presidency, something terrible would happen to her. Even Mike Pence wouldn’t get into a car with SS on Jan. 6.
I really wish we had an alternative to Biden. I think he’s done pretty well, but I think he should step aside in 2024. We need someone younger with more fire in their belly now to fight the lunatics.
It’s overwhelming and scary but we CANNOT keep allowing this. This man is evil and is using religion to take over this country. We have to work our asses off to protect our democracy and our bodies.
In other, because of course news, he claims a close friendship with Amy Coney Barrett – SCOTUS handmaiden herself.
“Johnson has long stumped for Barrett, whom he’s known for 30 years, having voiced his support for her nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020.
“I’ve known Amy Coney Barrett since high school. We go way, way back,” Johnson told the attendees. “And I was one of the guys pushing Trump really, really hard to put her on the court.””
…aaaaand we’ve completed the nine concentric circles of hell.
I know it might be inflammatory, but I keep hoping some of these people have a terrible car wreck. Democrats have to win in 2024, or it will actually be the end of the country we know.
Vote blue to save us all!
Still risky. Bring out the submersible–I don’t wanna take any chances.
Omg have y’all seen where he said in his speech as speaker that his wife wasn’t there because
“She’s spent the last few weeks on her knees in prayer to the lord. And she’s a little worn out.”
I’m dead. As is the first amendment.
@TwinFalls Not surprising considering the Johnson’s have signed the extremely problematic “covenant marriage” agreement, which bans divorce except in extreme and specifically outlined instances. He thinks there should be more “covenant marriages”. He probably believes women should be seen and not heard and is extremely regressive. He is a major problem in every sense!
Smdh straight outta The Onion. Cannot believe this is real life…just amazing to think that 15% of the population has our government completely by the balls. Minority rule is here to stay.
They truly are the loud (and bullying, violent and ruthless) minority.
And no doubt she’s been there every step of the way in his career supporting him, campaigning for him, etc. She helped him get to where he is and that’s what he thinks of her? She should have been there sharing this with him and he should have wanted her there and given her some credit. He has shown us what kind of man he is and what he really thinks about women and what they are good for.
I’d like to ask the wifey what she was praying for.
Oh, that is hella disgusting.
He’s either going to make a deal and avoid the shutdown, in which case the freedom caucus ppl will turn on him (if they don’t, it will be because of $$ from whoever backed this guy, most likely the heritage foundation), or he’s going to get the shutdown and the moderates will turn on him. He’s going to be like the Tennessee a holes who expelled the Tennessee three, and now we know that they’re girders who were defrauding voters, or the one guy who met his wife as a 40 year old and she was 19. All his secrets will come out, and no one believes the stuff he does without having major secrets. It screams Jerry Falwell jr, or Lindsey Graham levels of secrets.
I was worried about him trying to avoid certifying the election, but new congress will be sworn in before then. So vote and get your friends out, so it’s Speaker Jeffries.
With Meadows confirmed flipping, and Sidney Powell and Chesebro flipping, Jack Smith’s biggest choice is whether he arrests everyone all at once, or one at a time. I think he’ll do like Madam Fani Willis. Clarence Thomas also just got found out on a regular loan fraud. I’m not super hopeful that he’s going to get indicted for that, but him and Ginny have to feel accountability coming. They’ve been too bold for too long and it won’t take much to start the avalanche.
I was thinking this morning about who is really running the chaos behind the scenes? Who is really working the strings? What foreign country or organization is behind it? Who is paying or threatening these people to wreak this havoc on our country and what is the end game? Who is really behind all of this? Who appears to have too much money and where did they get it?
I’m not a conspiracy person at all, but I can’t help but think about this.
Leonard Leo. He is responsible for all of our terrible SCOTUS judges. Aaaand, he was left 1.6 billion dollars recently from some old rich fuck to continue buying off judges and politicians.
Propublica is a great place to read about him. There’s also a podcast about him from the reporters who did the Trump, Inc. podcast.
Putin bought Trump and the GOP back in 2015/16.
And thanks to the commenter who pointed out that if we vote them out, they won’t be the ones to certify the election, I was wrong about that in my earlier post.
Can we finally dispense with the myth that there are “moderate” Republicans in Congress? We keep hoping that these mythical moderates will see sense and rise up to save the day. This guy got a unanimous vote from his party. There are no reasonable Republicans left in the House, they were either primary-d out years ago, or threw in the towel when they saw the crazy caucus close-up.
Yeah there are self-professed moderates who will all fall in line at the end of the day because they’re terrified of their constituency and even more terrified of the MAGA faction of the GOP.
So effectively, there are no moderates. Because if you can only express your so-called reasonable views behind closed doors and you’re too scared to support any bill or law that could upset the MAGA freaks, then you’re really no different than them.
He’s also voted to slash social security and against lowering drug prices . I agree with someone on Twitter yesterday that the Fascist Republicans are too stupid and shot themselves in the foot. They’re Cowards when it comes to Trump and there’s a real threat they’ll lose the House in the next election.
If it’s any indication of last years midterms, majority of Americans rejected the MAGA ideals(and the reason why sooo many of Trumps idiot cronies Lost in a general election).
Oh god, I hope you are right, I hope we don’t have to suffer him for too long.
I am just a tiny bit optimistic due to the current election in Poland, if that conservative country can come to their senses and vote out the Christo-facists, then maybe so can we.