Democratic state Rep. Cynthia Johnson of Michigan has been stripped of her committee assignments and may face “further disciplinary action” following a video in which she allegedly threatened supporters of President Donald Trump.
Speaker of the Michigan House Rep. Lee Chatfield announced the actions taken against Johnson after a Facebook video she posted on Tuesday went viral Wednesday morning. Chatfield denounced threats of violence and said that Johnson had been stripped of her committee assignments while “the proper authorities conduct their own investigations.”
“Threats to either Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. They’re even more unbecoming of an elected official. Rep. Johnson has been removed from her committee assignments, and we are looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their own investigations,” Chatfield said in a statement on Wednesday.
“We have been consistent in our position on this – violence and intimidation is never appropriate in politics. We have said that about threats against Gov. Whitmer, Secretary Benson, Rep. Johnson herself, and others,” Chatfield continued. “That applies to threats made toward public officials, and it must also apply when the threats come from public officials. Behavior like this will not be tolerated this term or next.”
Threats to Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. They’re even more unbecoming of an elected official. Rep. CA Johnson has been stripped of her committees and we’re looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their investigation. pic.twitter.com/Y5lTqqmEVI
— Lee Chatfield (@LeeChatfield) December 9, 2020
Johnson live streamed her questionable comments on Facebook on Tuesday. As The Daily Wire reported:
[Johnson] threatened supporters of President Donald Trump during a Facebook live video streamed Tuesday, warning “Trumpers” to “walk lightly” and encouraging her supporters to “make them pay.”
“We got some work to do, we got some work to do,” Johnson started the video, before taking a sip of a drink.
The Detroit Democrat then thanked people who are doing things “right and in order.”
“There’s a good way to do it, and there’s a f***ed up way to do it,” she said. “Always provide proof. Nobody cares what your mouth is saying, provide proof. Don’t get upset with folks and start cussing them out and all that. … it never works.”
“I wish I could be talking to y’all in a private room, because, uh, I just wish I could, but we’re public so,” she told her viewers. It’s unclear where Johnson was during the live stream, but other people can be heard talking in the background.
“Be smart,” she continued. “You don’t have to yell, you don’t have to curse anybody out, you don’t have to call anybody names. Hit their a**es in the pocketbook. Hit them in the pocketbook.”
“For instance, one of our ‘bright’ citizens of our country, in Illinois, who happened to voicemail me — unknown, but, guess what? FBI, state police, they found her,” Johnson detailed.
“So, this is just a warning to you Trumpers,” the Democrat threatened: “Be careful, walk lightly, we ain’t playing with you. Enough of the shenanigans. Enough is enough.”
“And for those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it,” she directed. “Do it right, be in order, make them pay.”
“I love y’all,” Johnson added before signing off the live stream.