House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on Tuesday that Republicans are blurring out the faces of individuals seen in the January 6 U.S. Capitol breach security camera footage — a move his office clarified would protect Americans from being identified by non-governmental investigators and private citizens.
&#8220;We have to blur some of the faces of persons who participated in the events of that day because we don&#8217;t want them to be retaliated against and to be charged by the DOJ and to have other, you know, concerns and problems,&#8221; Johnson told reporters during a <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?532220-1/house-republican-agenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Republican Agenda</a> briefing.
Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-announces-public-release-of-january-6-footage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last month that the GOP-led House would begin rolling out the disclosure of more than 40,000 hours of footage to a website, except a small portion that may contain sensitive security information or information that could lead to retaliation against private citizens.
The decision to release the footage, he <a href="https://www.speaker.gov/speaker-johnson-statement-on-january-6-2021-u-s-capitol-security-tapes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time, would allow the American people, criminal defendants, public interest organizations, and the media to witness for themselves what happened on that infamous day rather than relying upon &#8220;a small group of government officials.&#8221; His remarks come as <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/public-trust-in-government-1958-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public trust in the U.S. government</a> continues to sink to an all-time low.
&#8220;The release of the January 6 tapes is a critical, important exercise — we want transparency,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We trust — House Republicans trust — the American people to draw their own conclusions. They should not be dictated by some narrative and accept that as fact so they can review the tapes themselves.&#8221;
Although blurring out faces could prevent non-governmental investigators from using facial recognition software to help federal authorities track down those seen on the nation&#8217;s capital property, the Department of Justice accessed the footage almost immediately after the crowds were cleared.
&#8220;Faces are to be blurred from public viewing room footage to prevent all forms of retaliation against private citizens from any non-governmental actors,&#8221; Raj Shah, deputy chief of staff for communications in the Speaker&#8217;s office, told The Daily Wire in an emailed statement. &#8220;The Department of Justice already has access to raw footage from January 6, 2021.&#8221;
The footage has allowed prosecutors to bring roughly 1,200 criminal cases in connection to the breach.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.
Some Republican lawmakers and others have long pressed for releasing security footage of the day when a crowd of people entered the U.S. Capitol, disrupting lawmakers&#8217; meeting to certify President Joe Biden&#8217;s 2020 election victory.
House Republicans, including Johnson, have long criticized the January 6 Committee, which investigated the national capitol&#8217;s breach for over a year and a half.
In the final report <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-the-jan-6-committees-summary-of-its-final-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a>, the committee, made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, recommended criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for his role in the events that day — marking a historical moment in U.S. history as no former president has ever been the subject of a criminal referral from Congress.
Johnson called the committee a &#8220;partisan exercise.&#8221;
&#8220;They claimed that it was bipartisan, but I think we all recognize that the two &#8216;Republican&#8217; members that served on that committee had another agenda,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;I think that what we got was a biased report. I think they hid some of the important evidence, and, look, we want the American people to draw their own conclusions.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think partisan elected officials in Washington should present a narrative and expect that it should be seen as the ultimate truth when we know that they hid certain elements,&#8221; he added.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) alleged in a Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/j6-committee-failed-to-preserve-records-has-no-data-on-capitol-hill-security-failures-gop-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> in August that the committee failed to preserve some documents, data, and video depositions.
But Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the committee chairman on the nine-member panel, denied the allegations.
&#8220;The Select Committee did not archive temporary committee records that were not elevated by the Committee&#8217;s actions, such as use in hearings or official publications, or those that did not further its investigative activities,&#8221; Thompson <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4329843-judge-blocks-trump-subpoena-jan-6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in August, according to The Hill. &#8220;Accordingly, and contrary to your letter&#8217;s implication, the Select Committee was not obligated to archive all video recordings of transcribed interviews or depositions.&#8221;
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.

Capitol Hill

House Speaker Says GOP Lawmakers Blurred Out Faces In J6 Tapes To Prevent ‘Retaliation’

House Speaker Says GOP Lawmakers Blurred Out Faces In J6 Tapes For Protection Against DOJ

Capitol Riot

Congress

January 6

January 6 Committee

Mike Johnson

Politics

More aid to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a> must be coupled with &#8220;transformative&#8221; border security reforms, House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) said on Tuesday.
Johnson sent a <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1732060427075387652" target="_blank" rel="noopener">formal letter response</a> to the White House one day after Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-blasts-biden-admin-in-dust-up-over-ukraine-aid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> Congress that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mccarthy-denies-zelensky-opportunity-to-address-joint-session-of-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$111 billion</a> in supplemental funds previously allocated to Ukraine for its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fight against Russia</a> are running out.
Congressional Republicans demand the &#8220;enactment of transformative change to our nation’s border security laws,&#8221; Johnson wrote, adding that he made this position clear weeks ago when he visited the White House shortly after he became speaker.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
My response to the White House on their lack of a clearly defined strategy and end game for prevailing in Ukraine and the need for transformative change to our nation’s border security laws: <a href="https://t.co/JZZhIp7K4v">pic.twitter.com/JZZhIp7K4v</a>
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1732060427075387652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Johnson said the GOP-led House <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed a bill</a> earlier this year that would require the Homeland Security Department to resume <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/senate_republican_working_group_one_pager.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">construction of a border wall</a>, increase visa overstay penalties, implement asylum and immigration parole reform, and much more.
The House &#8220;has led in defining reforms to secure America&#8217;s borders,&#8221; the speaker said, adding that &#8220;Senate Democrats have refused to act on that bill.&#8221; And, Johnson added, the Biden administration &#8220;has ignored reality&#8221; and chosen to &#8220;engage in political posturing&#8221; rather than &#8220;engaging with Congressional Republicans to discuss logical reforms.&#8221;
Senate Republicans have also pushed for immigration reforms, even <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/senate-republicans-unveil-solutions-for-southern-border-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drawing ideas from the House-passed bill</a>, in talks with Democrats over giving Ukraine another boost as its war with Russia nears the two-year mark. But those negotiations, geared toward passing Biden&#8217;s roughly <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/whats-bidens-106-billion-supplemental-funding-request-2023-10-20/#:~:text=Oct%2020(Reuters)%20%2D%20U.S.,Indo%2DPacific%20and%20border%20enforcement." target="_blank" rel="noopener">$106 billion</a> supplemental funding request for Ukraine, Israel, and more, recently <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/04/senate-dems-border-talks-are-dead-senate-republicans-theres-still-a-pulse-00129900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit a snag</a> because of disagreements on border security.
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&#8220;This is a choice Republicans are making,&#8221; Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1732044540159402417" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X on Tuesday. &#8220;They have decided to play games with world security by requiring their hardline immigration policy demands be met before Ukraine is saved. This isn’t a game. This is the future of the world.&#8221;
Included in Biden&#8217;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Final-Supplemental-Funding-Request-Letter-and-Technical-Materials.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supplemental funding request</a> was more money to bolster his administration&#8217;s border enforcement and management plan, which Young insisted was &#8220;working as intended&#8221; despite a &#8220;fundamentally broken immigration system.&#8221;
After <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-elects-mike-johnson-as-speaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking over as speaker</a> in late October, Johnson endeavored to split up consideration of Biden&#8217;s national security funding asks. The House passed a bill to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-gop-proposes-israel-aid-offset-by-irs-budget-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offset $14.3 billion</a> in aid for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> by slashing the same amount of funds meant for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Internal Revenue Service (IRS)</a>.
Senate Majority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chuck-schumer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chuck Schumer</a> (D-NY) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schumer-presses-ahead-with-plan-linking-israel-and-ukraine-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused</a> to even consider the measure.
In his letter to the White House on Tuesday, Johnson said another sticking point has to do with &#8220;transparency and accountability for U.S. taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
Congress and the public must be provided more clarity on the Biden administration&#8217;s &#8220;strategy to prevail&#8221; in Ukraine, including &#8220;what specific resources are required to achieve victory and a sustainable peace,&#8221; Johnson said.

Speaker Mike Johnson

Speaker Johnson Wants ‘Transformative’ Border Security Reforms In Exchange For Ukraine Aid

Speaker Johnson Wants 'Transformative' Border Security Reforms In Exchange For Ukraine Aid

Border Crisis

U.S.

Ukraine-Russia War

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> letter urging <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Congress</a> to quickly approve more funds to help <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine in its fight against Russia</a> prompted a stern rebuke from House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) on Monday.
Johnson stressed that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> and Senate Democrats have yet to close a policy rift with Republicans demanding more fiscal responsibility and a concerted effort to remedy the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/border-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">border crisis</a> as part of a deal to secure additional Ukraine aid.
&#8220;The Biden Administration has failed to substantively address any of my conference’s legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine, a path to resolving the conflict, or a plan for adequately ensuring accountability for aid provided by American taxpayers. Meanwhile, the Administration is continually ignoring the catastrophe at our own border,&#8221; Johnson said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1731689607803146328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post to X</a>.
&#8220;House Republicans have resolved that any national security supplemental package must begin with our own border. We believe both issues can be agreed upon if Senate Democrats and the White House will negotiate reasonably,&#8221; he added.
The speaker was responding to a White House letter signed by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young warning lawmakers that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mccarthy-denies-zelensky-opportunity-to-address-joint-session-of-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$111 billion</a> in supplemental funds previously allocated to Ukraine is now running out.
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In a new letter, White House tells Congress that without legislative action, &quot;by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks.&quot;
&quot;We are out of money—and nearly out of time.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/5WygUBa6yv">pic.twitter.com/5WygUBa6yv</a>
&mdash; Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) <a href="https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1731683912143777921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I want to be clear: without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks,&#8221; Young wrote.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Biden seeks another $61.4 billion for Ukraine as part of a larger &#8220;supplemental funding&#8221; request totaling about <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/whats-bidens-106-billion-supplemental-funding-request-2023-10-20/#:~:text=Oct%2020(Reuters)%20%2D%20U.S.,Indo%2DPacific%20and%20border%20enforcement." target="_blank" rel="noopener">$106 billion,</a> with <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/20/fact-sheet-white-house-calls-on-congress-to-advance-critical-national-security-priorities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funds also designated for Israel</a> in its war against Hamas, Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific, humanitarian assistance, and border security.
After rejecting a House bill to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-gop-proposes-israel-aid-offset-by-irs-budget-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offset $14.3 billion</a> in aid for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> by slashing the same amount of funds meant for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Internal Revenue Service (IRS)</a>, Majority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chuck-schumer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chuck Schumer</a> (D-NY) said he wanted the Senate to take up Biden&#8217;s supplemental request as early as this week.
But Senate Democrats are struggling to secure enough GOP support for a filibuster-proof majority <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/04/senate-dems-border-talks-are-dead-senate-republicans-theres-still-a-pulse-00129900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amid disagreements</a> on how to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mcconnell-rips-dems-for-refusal-to-link-real-border-security-to-other-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tackle U.S. border security reforms</a> — a feud in which Minority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mitch-mcconnell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitch McConnell</a> (R-KY) touted how his Republican colleagues &#8220;have been laser-focused on actually fixing our broken asylum process, not just pouring more money into a system that’s simply not working.&#8221;

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

Speaker Johnson Blasts Biden Admin In Dust-Up Over Ukraine Aid

Biden Administration

National Security

U.S. House of Representatives

Ukraine

White House

Democratic strategist James Carville claimed during an interview late last week that Christian Republicans represented a greater threat to the U.S. than Islamic terrorists.
Carville made the remarks during an appearance on HBO&#8217;s &#8220;Real Time with Bill Maher&#8221; while discussing new U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
&#8220;Mike Johnson and what he believes is one of the greatest threats we have today to the United States,&#8221; Carville claimed. &#8220;I promise you, I know these people.&#8221;
When asked by host Bill Maher if he was referring to &#8220;Christian nationalists,&#8221; Carville responded: &#8220;Absolutely, this is a bigger threat than al-Qaeda to this country.&#8221;
&#8220;And let me tell you something: The Speaker of the House, they got probably at least two Supreme Court justices, maybe more, don&#8217;t kid yourself,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;People in the press have no idea who this guy is, how he was formed, what the threat is, and this is a fundamental threat to the United States. It is a fundamental thing. [They] don&#8217;t believe in the Constitution. They&#8217;ll tell you that. Mike Johnson himself says what is democracy but two wolves and a lamb having lunch? That&#8217;s what they really, really, really believe.&#8221;
&#8220;And to say, &#8216;Oh, come on, man. It&#8217;s just some crazy s***.&#8217; No, no. They believe that. And they&#8217;re coming and they&#8217;ve been doing it forever. They&#8217;re funded. They&#8217;re funded. They&#8217;re relentless and, you know, they probably won&#8217;t win for a while but they might. And if they do, the whole country blows a gasket.&#8221;
Johnson responded to the remarks in a post on his official government X account, saying that the Democratic Party should condemn Carville&#8217;s remarks.
&#8220;It&#8217;s twisted and shameful that a leading Democrat strategist says millions of Christians in America are a greater threat than foreign terrorists who murdered more than 3,000 Americans,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;The Democratic Party should condemn this. But they won’t.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Per <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesCarville?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JamesCarville</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RTOvertime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RTOvertime</a> on CNN, <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> “is one of the greatest threats we have today to the United States” and his beliefs are “a bigger threat than al Qaeda to this country&#8230;a fundamental threat to the United States.” <a href="https://t.co/dPLe3IxLqj">pic.twitter.com/dPLe3IxLqj</a>
&mdash; Brent Baker 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@BrentHBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentHBaker/status/1730811576767107087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Politicon 2017

Democrat Strategist Claims Speaker Johnson ‘A Bigger Threat’ To U.S. ‘Than Al-Qaeda’; Johnson Responds

Bill Maher

Christian

House Speaker

James Carville

House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) dismissed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hunter-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hunter Biden</a>&#8216;s offer to publicly testify as part of the corruption-focused <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/impeachment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeachment</a> inquiry into his father, President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>, instead of complying with a subpoena for a deposition.
&#8220;It’s the precedent,&#8221; Johnson said during an interview with Fox News on Saturday, adding later, &#8220;Every investigation of Congress in the modern era, the deposition has come first, and the public testimony follows. Why would we break that precedent now?&#8221;
Johnson was joined on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX6BxpPdZew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Fox &amp; Friends Weekend&#8221;</a> by House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY). They both took part in the defense effort when former President Donald Trump faced impeachment.
Stefanik said the offer by Hunter Biden and his legal team was &#8220;unacceptable&#8221; and insisted that &#8220;the only correct response to a subpoena is a deposition.&#8221;
Oversight Chairman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-comer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Comer</a> (R-KY), who is leading the impeachment inquiry and issued the subpoena, has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/comer-rejects-hunter-bidens-public-testimony-offer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rejected</a> the terms offered by Hunter Biden&#8217;s lawyer.
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The attorney, Abbe Lowell, argued that a &#8220;public proceeding would prevent selective leaks, manipulated transcripts, doctored exhibits, or one-sided press statements.&#8221;
Comer indicated that lawmakers would be willing to have Hunter Biden testify in an open hearing at a &#8220;future date&#8221; — but insisted that the first son must also testify in the closed-door deposition scheduled for mid-December.
In an interview with Newsmax, Comer said Johnson <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/11/29/oversight_chairman_comer_speaker_johnson_has_our_back_to_hold_hunter_biden_in_contempt_if_he_doesnt_show_at_private_deposition.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;has our back&#8221;</a> and House Republicans would &#8220;take steps&#8221; to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he does not comply with the subpoena.
The top Democrat on the oversight panel, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), issued a <a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-raskin-s-statement-on-chairman-comer-s-rejection-of-hunter-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> condemning his Republican counterparts for rejecting the open hearing offer.
&#8220;What an epic humiliation for our colleagues and what a frank confession that they are simply not interested in the facts and have no confidence in their own case or the ability of their own members to pursue it,&#8221; Raskin said.
&#8220;After the miserable failure of their impeachment hearing in September, Chairman Comer has now apparently decided to avoid all Committee hearings where the public can actually see for itself the logical, rhetorical and factual contortions they have tied themselves up in,&#8221; he added.
Stefanik made the case for why an open hearing can be counterproductive to a serious inquiry.
“An open hearing is five minutes on the Democrat side, five minutes on the Republican side. It becomes a very public press opportunity for the Democrat to politicize,” Stefanik said. “We want to go about this from a legal and factual perspective and the only way to go about that is through a deposition.”

Speaker Johnson Fires Back At Hunter Biden Over Public Testimony Offer

Elise Stefanik

Executive

House Republicans

Hunter Biden

Impeachment

James Comer

Jamie Raskin

Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) said on Wednesday that he has &#8220;reservations&#8221; about the House expelling Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/george-santos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Santos</a> (R-NY).
Two expulsion resolutions — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-democrats-move-to-force-another-vote-to-expel-george-santos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one from Democrats</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1729664172814663851" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another from Republicans</a> — were made &#8220;privileged&#8221; on Tuesday, compelling the chamber to act within two legislative days, after the release of a House Ethics Committee <a href="https://punchbowl.news/isc-santos-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> heavily criticizing Santos. Reports indicate that <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1729912257264439343" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debate</a> may begin on Thursday and a <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCNewsLive/status/1729945364130623881" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vote</a> on expulsion could follow on Friday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> on resolution to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from Congress: &quot;I trust that people will make that decision thoughtfully and in good faith. I personally have real reservations about doing this. I&#39;m concerned about a precedent that may be set for that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/6lXBjeW6qt">pic.twitter.com/6lXBjeW6qt</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1729890322153689402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Leadership will allow people to &#8220;vote their conscience,&#8221; Johnson said during a press conference following a Republican conference meeting. Johnson said there will not be an effort by Republicans to whip votes one way or another, adding, &#8220;I trust that people will make that decision thoughtfully and in good faith.&#8221;
Still, Johnson continued, &#8220;I personally have real reservations about doing this. I&#8217;m concerned about a precedent that may be set for that. So everybody&#8217;s working through that and we&#8217;ll see how they vote tomorrow.&#8221;
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Expulsion from the House requires a two-thirds majority vote to succeed. It has only happened <a href="https://history.house.gov/Institution/Discipline/Expulsion-Censure-Reprimand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a handful of times throughout U.S. history</a>. Two expelled members were convicted of crimes, while three others were kicked out for backing the Confederacy in the early 1860s.
Santos has not been convicted of any crimes, but he does face 23 federal charges —  including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy — to which he has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/27/politics/george-santos-plea/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded not guilty</a>. Multiple prior efforts to expel Santos from the House — including a <a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/11/01/rep-george-santos-easily-survives-second-attempt-to-expel-him-from-congress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vote</a> on a resolution brought by other New York Republicans only weeks ago — have failed.
A <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4313613-growing-number-of-lawmakers-say-theyll-vote-to-expel-santos-after-ethics-report/#:~:text=House-,Growing%20number%20of%20lawmakers%20say%20they'll%20vote,expel%20Santos%20after%20Ethics%20report&amp;text=A%20growing%20number%20of%20lawmakers,scathing%20House%20Ethics%20Committee%20report." target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing number of lawmakers</a> say they would vote to expel Santos after the House ethics report was released and laid out &#8220;substantial evidence&#8221; of multiple types of violations of House rules and criminal laws amid &#8220;a complex web of unlawful activity involving Representative Santos’ campaign, personal, and business finances.&#8221;
While Santos criticized the ethics inquiry as a political &#8220;smear,&#8221; the congressman announced after the report&#8217;s release that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/george-santos-says-he-wont-seek-re-election-after-release-of-ethics-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would not seek re-election</a>. In remarks on Tuesday, <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1729670939648950595" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santos declared</a> that he would not resign and said a vote to expel him &#8220;sets a very dangerous precedent&#8221; when it comes to due process.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep. George Santos (R-NY): &quot;I will not be resigning.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xs7a2TPg82">pic.twitter.com/xs7a2TPg82</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1729670939648950595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Some Republicans have spoken out against removing Santos from the House. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1729663232585978137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a letter to colleagues saying he has &#8220;serious concerns&#8221; about how the case has been handled and that he would vote against expulsion.
Bumping Santos from the House would also mean Republicans, who have a narrow majority in the chamber, would need to brace for the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/28/george-santos-replacement-special-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">possibility of a Democrat</a> winning a special election to replace Santos in his Long Island district.
During his comments on Wednesday, Johnson stressed that Republicans &#8220;believe in the rule of law&#8221; and explained how members have argued both the pros and cons of expelling Santos.
&#8220;There are people who say you have to uphold the rule of law and allow for someone to be convicted in a criminal court before this tough penalty would be exacted on someone. That&#8217;s been the precedent so far,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;There are others who say, well, upholding the rule of law requires us to take this step now because some of the things that he&#8217;s alleged to have done — the House Ethics Committee having done their job — are in fractions against the House itself.&#8221;

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA)

Speaker Johnson Has ‘Reservations’ About Expelling Santos

Speaker Johnson Has 'Reservations' About Expelling Santos

George Santos

Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) shared on Monday that he has been in contact with Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/george-santos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Santos</a> (R-NY) ahead of a possible expulsion vote following a scathing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> Ethics Committee report.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Sarasota, Florida, Johnson noted that he had &#8220;spoken to Congressman Santos at some length over the holiday and talked to him about his options.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
VIDEO: Speaker Johnson tells reporters he spoke to Rep. George Santos &quot;at some length&quot; over the Thanksgiving holiday and &quot;talked to him about his options&quot;
Santos could become the first member of Congress expelled in over 2 decades. 
Video via <a href="https://twitter.com/FBSaunders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBSaunders</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/scrippsnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scrippsnews</a> Florida <a href="https://t.co/aKvgZPsdY2">pic.twitter.com/aKvgZPsdY2</a>
&mdash; Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReedReports/status/1729213387475910687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On the prospect of an expulsion vote this week, Johnson said <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rep-george-santos-face-expulsion-house-week-rcna126849" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;it remains to be seen,&#8221;</a> adding that lawmakers will be discussing the matter when they return from the Thanksgiving recess on Tuesday.
Voters elected Santos to his first term representing a Long Island district last year, helping Republicans win a narrow majority in the House. But controversy soon followed related to the congressman&#8217;s candor and finances, spurring multiple inquiries and growing pressure for him to leave office.
Santos has since been dealt 23 federal charges —  including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy — to which he <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/27/politics/george-santos-plea/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded not guilty</a>. And then, earlier this month, the House Ethics Committee released a <a href="https://punchbowl.news/isc-santos-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> saying investigators found evidence of Santos violating House rules and criminal laws.
Though Santos criticized the congressional inquiry as a political &#8220;smear,&#8221; he announced soon after the House Ethics report&#8217;s release that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/george-santos-says-he-wont-seek-re-election-after-release-of-ethics-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would not seek re-election</a> while declaring, &#8220;I will continue on my mission to serve my constituents up until I am allowed.&#8221;
Santos survived <a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/11/01/rep-george-santos-easily-survives-second-attempt-to-expel-him-from-congress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple attempts</a> by colleagues to expel him from the House earlier this year, but that may change with House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) announcing another <a href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/11/17/u-s-rep-michael-guest-introduces-measure-to-expel-new-york-congressman-santos-from-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expulsion resolution</a> and <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4313613-growing-number-of-lawmakers-say-theyll-vote-to-expel-santos-after-ethics-report/#:~:text=House-,Growing%20number%20of%20lawmakers%20say%20they'll%20vote,expel%20Santos%20after%20Ethics%20report&amp;text=A%20growing%20number%20of%20lawmakers,scathing%20House%20Ethics%20Committee%20report." target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing number of lawmakers</a> saying they would vote for New York Republican&#8217;s ouster.
Expulsion from the House, which has only happened <a href="https://history.house.gov/Institution/Discipline/Expulsion-Censure-Reprimand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a handful of times throughout U.S. history</a>, requires a two-thirds majority vote to succeed.
During an hours-long X Spaces conversation on Friday night, Santos reportedly insisted that he would not resign, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/25/santos-lashes-out-expulsion-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming</a>, &#8220;[I&#8217;d] admit [to] everything that&#8217;s on that report&#8221; by doing so. Yet Santos also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/27/george-santos-expel-congress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">predicted</a> that he will be expelled from the House if another expulsion resolution goes to the floor for a vote. &#8220;I’ve done the math over and over, and it doesn’t look really good,&#8221; he said.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republica

Speaker Johnson Says He Spoke To Santos ‘About His Options’ As Expulsion Looms

Speaker Johnson Says He Spoke To Santos 'About His Options' As Expulsion Looms

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Republicans</a> are setting the stage for what could be a vote on articles of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/impeachment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeachment</a> against President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> early next year.
A report published this week <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/21/house-republicans-biden-impeachment-00128154" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by POLITICO</a> quoted multiple GOP members of the House Judiciary Committee — which would spearhead the drafting of any articles of impeachment — urging the chamber to move quickly toward a decision heading into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/2024-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024</a>, which is a presidential election year in which Biden is seeking a second term in the White House.
“We understand that the further you go toward an election, the more politicized these conversations become. That’s why it’s all the more important for us to begin to take action sooner rather than later,” Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), a member of the Judiciary Committee, told the news outlet. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), another member of that panel, added, “I think it needs to move with alacrity. I’ve always felt that we should be able to move faster. … But I do anticipate that it comes to Judiciary soon.&#8221;
The report also noted that Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jim-jordan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Jordan</a> (R-OH), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, predicted a decision would happen early in 2024 and said, &#8220;We can decide on whether or not there’s articles&#8221; after completing a series of depositions that lawmakers hope to complete in the coming weeks.
For months, the GOP-led House has been <a href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1701715899248726504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigating</a> whether the business practices of Biden&#8217;s family members fostered corruption in government — spurred by a money trail showing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-oversight-releases-memo-alleging-hunter-biden-received-millions-from-oligarchs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millions of dollars</a> from foreign countries. Congressional investigators have also been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jim-jordan-shares-key-takeaway-from-hunter-biden-prosecutors-testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looking into</a> how the Department of Justice handled the criminal probe into the president&#8217;s son, Hunter Biden.
Biden and his allies insist there is no wrongdoing by the president and claim the investigative efforts by House Republicans are tainted by politics.
What happens in the coming weeks could prove critical.
Though some GOP members want quick action, the <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/21/house-republicans-biden-impeachment-00128154" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO report</a> said centrist Republicans do not want a vote on impeachment articles without a &#8220;smoking gun.&#8221; A handful of GOP defectors could prove fatal to any impeachment articles, which require a simple majority to pass. The House is narrowly controlled by Republicans, and Democrats are almost certain to vote in a bloc against any articles brought forward.
Then there are outside factors that could significantly affect the timeline of events, such as new deadlines in January and February to avert a government shutdown after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-overwhelmingly-votes-to-continue-government-funding-with-no-spending-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passage</a> of another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/johnson-led-house-passes-bill-to-avert-government-shutdown-with-dem-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short-term spending</a> bill.
Oversight Chairman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-comer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Comer</a> (R-KY) — who is leading the impeachment inquiry with the help of Jordan and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) — announced a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-oversight-subpoenas-hunter-biden-presidents-brother-and-ex-business-associate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wave of</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-issue-subpoenas-over-hunter-biden-art-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subpoenas</a> and transcribed interview requests this month. Among the subpoena targets were Hunter Biden and the president’s brother, James Biden.
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Planned depositions stretch over the next several weeks but could go longer if there is a legal fight. White House special counsel Dick Sauber wrote a letter to GOP leaders <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/17/biden-impeachment-subpoena-white-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling on them to withdraw</a> the subpoenas and interview requests, <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTimBurchett/status/1726995593812164633" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, &#8220;you have misrepresented the facts&#8221; and &#8220;ignored the overwhelming evidence disproving your claims.&#8221;
House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA), who took on the leadership role roughly one month ago, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-says-biden-impeachment-inquiry-has-reached-stage-for-key-witness-testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last week that he received a briefing from Comer and the other impeachment leaders on their progress.
&#8220;At this stage, our impeachment inquiry has already shown the corrupt conduct of the president’s family and that he and White House officials have repeatedly lied about his knowledge and involvement in his family’s business activities,&#8221; Johnson said.
&#8220;It has also exposed the tens of millions of dollars from foreign adversaries being paid to shell companies controlled by the president’s son, brother and their business associates. Now, the appropriate step is to place key witnesses under oath and question them under the penalty of perjury, to fill gaps in the record,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I commend the good work of Chairmen Comer, Jordan, and Smith. As we move forward toward an inflection point in this critical investigation, they have my full and unwavering support.&#8221;

President Joe Biden

Where The Biden Impeachment Effort Stands Heading Into 2024

Jim Jordan

Joe Biden

Police

The GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> began on Friday to release tens of thousands of hours of video footage from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/january-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 6</a>, 2021 — the day of the U.S. Capitol breach — to the public.
Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA), who is less than a month into the job, announced the rolling disclosure of more than 40,000 hours of footage to a website. His office <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1725609829513732313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the footage will not include a small portion of video that may contain sensitive security information or information that could lead to retaliation against private citizens.
&#8220;To restore America’s trust and faith in their Government we must have transparency. This is another step towards keeping the promises I made when I was elected to be your Speaker,&#8221; Johnson said in a post to X that <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1725614509895692335" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> a link to a House Administration Committee webpage with dozens of video files already posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Follow the link below to view the January 6th tapes for yourself.
To restore America’s trust and faith in their Government we must have transparency. This is another step towards keeping the promises I made when I was elected to be your Speaker.
This website will be updated…
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1725625685396394402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Some Republican lawmakers and others have long pressed for the release of security footage of the day when a crowd of people entered the U.S. Capitol, disrupting lawmakers who were meeting to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Proponents of disclosure have argued a disclosure would show a different side to the mainstream narrative about January 6 that mainly focused on the violence that took place.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: In this never-before-seen footage of the January 6th insurrection, you can see capitol police officers fighting for their lives as the violent insurrectionists endanger American democracy in real-time <a href="https://t.co/DDqPWafrHI">pic.twitter.com/DDqPWafrHI</a>
&mdash; George (@BehizyTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/1725619557937631544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Indeed, some of the footage that was <a href="https://cha.house.gov/cha-subcommittee-reading-room-fe781e74-d577-4f64-93cc-fc3a8dd8df18" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immediately released</a> on Friday showed people walking down a hallway past law enforcement in an orderly fashion and even waving to officers.
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), one of the GOP lawmakers to show appreciation to Johnson for the release, <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHageman/status/1725637688143851589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X, &#8220;Sunshine is the best disinfectant. It’s past time for the public to have information on what happened on January 6th. I thank the Speaker for his efforts.&#8221;
Johnson&#8217;s predecessor in the speaker&#8217;s role, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), did <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-mccarthy-releases-41000-hours-of-exclusive-jan-6-footage-to-tucker-carlson-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">share with then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson roughly 41,000 hours</a> of video earlier this year, after which Carlson aired previously unseen security footage of January 6 that also showed police officers appearing to stand by passively as people poured into the Capitol, drawing a sharp contrast to the more chaotic scenes often put on curated display by the January 6 Committee during its hearings.
Some criticized the disclosure to Carlson. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), who served as chairman of the January 6 Committee, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/january-6-panel-chairman-issues-warning-over-tucker-carlson-getting-tapes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> of the potential security risks. The head of the Capitol Police <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/capitol-police-chief-responds-to-tucker-carlsons-airing-of-january-6-footage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> Carlson&#8217;s airing of a small portion of the footage as misleading and cherry-picked. And President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-scolds-republicans-over-tucker-carlson-airing-january-6-tapes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scolded</a> House Republicans, saying that he hoped they felt &#8220;ashamed for what was done to undermine our law enforcement.”
Others kept pushing for more disclosure. Various members of the media and January 6 defendants successfully <a href="https://rollcall.com/2023/09/01/media-defendants-to-get-access-to-capitol-video-from-jan-6-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gained restricted access</a> to the footage in the fall using terminals overseen by the House Administration Committee.
Johnson said in his statement on Friday that a public viewing room will &#8220;ensure every citizen can view every minute of the videos uncensored&#8221; while the online roll-out takes place.
The speaker also thanked Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Committee on House Administration, for working quickly to upload the videos online. In addition, Johnson said processing the videos will involve blurring out the faces of private citizens in yet-to-be-released tapes to prevent retaliation and &#8220;segregating&#8221; an estimated 5% of the footage that may involve &#8220;sensitive security information related to the building architecture.&#8221;

Speaker Johnson Announces Public Release Of January 6 Footage

House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) called the separation of church and state a &#8220;misnomer&#8221; when CNBC co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin attempted to corner him about kneeling and praying on the floor of Congress earlier this year.
&#8220;The separation of church and state is a misnomer —people misunderstand it,&#8221; Johnson said during an interview on &#8220;Squawk Box.&#8221;
&#8220;Of course, it comes from a phrase that was in a letter that [Thomas] Jefferson wrote — it&#8217;s not in the Constitution,&#8221; he added.
Johnson referred to Thomas Jefferson&#8217;s 1802 <a href="https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut when Jefferson served as the third President of the United States.
&#8220;What he was explaining is they did not want the government to encroach upon the church, not that they didn&#8217;t want principles of faith to have influence on our public life is exactly the opposite,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;It&#8217;s exactly the opposite.&#8221;
He then referenced <a href="https://virginiahistory.org/learn/george-washingtons-farewell-address#:~:text=%E2%80%9COf%20all%20the%20dispositions%20and,men%20and%20citizens...." target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Washington&#8217;s Farewell Address</a>, delivered in 1796, which stated, &#8220;Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.&#8221;
Johnson also mentioned John Adams&#8217; <a href="https://www.johnadamsacademy.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=2003858&amp;type=d&amp;pREC_ID=2094472#_ftn1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the Massachusetts Militia in 1798, which read, &#8220;Our constitution is made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.&#8221;
&#8220;They knew that it would be important to maintain our system,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;And that&#8217;s why I think we need more of that &#8212; not an establishment of any national religion, but we need everybody&#8217;s vibrant expression of faith because it&#8217;s such an important part of who we are as a nation.&#8221;
Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-make-no-apologies-new-house-speaker-says-the-bible-is-his-worldview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> unanimous Republican support after three weeks of chaos — and three other nominees for the position — and was elected on October 25 to replace ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), becoming second in line to the presidency.
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During his first speech as speaker, Johnson told every other member of Congress that he believed God had called them all to use their gifts to serve the American people.
But just before the newly minted House Speaker secured the gavel, Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) posted a photo of Johnson with a small cadre of House members praying for the Speaker&#8217;s race back in January.
In the CNBC interview, Johnson pointed to the First Amendment when asked about expressing his faith on the House floor after being sworn in.
&#8220;Faith — our deep religious heritage and tradition is a big part of what it means to be an American,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;When the founders set the system up, they wanted a vibrant expression of faith in the public square because they believed that a general moral consensus and virtue was necessary to maintain this grand experiment and self-governance.&#8221;
&#8220;So we created a government of, by, and for the people,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We don&#8217;t have a king in charge, we don&#8217;t have a middleman — so we&#8217;ve got to keep morality amongst us so that we have accountability.&#8221;
Johnson worked as a senior lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund, focusing on religious freedom issues in schools, government, and other public spaces before he entered Congress.
His faith plays a significant role in his political decision-making — so much so that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/opinion/mike-johnson-christian-nationalism-speaker.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> seethed over him becoming the first speaker of the House &#8220;who can be fairly described as a Christian nationalist.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lots of misleading headlines. Take a look at what I actually said here: <a href="https://t.co/Vw3AHzoRvT">pic.twitter.com/Vw3AHzoRvT</a>
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1724809472529633434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

House Elects Mike Johnson Of Louisiana As Speaker

CNBC Anchor Tries To Corner Mike Johnson On Church And State, Gets A History Lesson Instead

CNBC

Freedom of Religion

House Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) said the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/impeachment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeachment</a> inquiry against President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> has advanced to a stage in which witnesses should be placed under oath.
The speaker released a statement on Wednesday that said he had just received an update from Oversight Chairman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-comer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Comer</a> (R-KY), who is leading the endeavor, and the two others tasked with assisting him: Judiciary Chairman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jim-jordan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Jordan</a> (R-OH) and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO).
&#8220;At this stage, our impeachment inquiry has already shown the corrupt conduct of the president’s family and that he and White House officials have repeatedly lied about his knowledge and involvement in his family’s business activities,&#8221; Johnson said.
&#8220;It has also exposed the tens of millions of dollars from foreign adversaries being paid to shell companies controlled by the president’s son, brother and their business associates,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Now, the appropriate step is to place key witnesses under oath and question them under the penalty of perjury, to fill gaps in the record.&#8221;
Johnson concluded, &#8220;I commend the good work of Chairmen Comer, Jordan, and Smith. As we move forward toward an inflection point in this critical investigation, they have my full and unwavering support.&#8221;
The impeachment inquiry, which is looking into whether the Biden family&#8217;s business practices have fostered corruption in government, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mccarthy-announces-formal-impeachment-inquiry-against-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">formally began</a> in mid-September under then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Biden and his allies insist there is no wrongdoing by the president and claim the inquiry is tainted by politics.
Last week, Comer announced the start of a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-oversight-subpoenas-hunter-biden-presidents-brother-and-ex-business-associate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wave of</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-issue-subpoenas-over-hunter-biden-art-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subpoenas</a> and transcribed interview requests. Among the subpoena targets were Biden’s son Hunter Biden, the president’s brother James Biden, and Rob Walker, a former Biden family business associate. The subpoenas demanded a deposition from each individual at dates extending from the end of November to the middle of December.
Comer has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/comer-says-biden-impeachment-inquiry-imminent-as-republicans-call-for-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he believes President Biden should be impeached, but emphasized, &#8220;That&#8217;s going to be left up to the speaker.&#8221; Jordan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jim-jordan-expects-biden-impeachment-decision-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a Fox interview over the weekend that he expects the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/impeachment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impeachment</a> inquiry to stretch into next year when Biden is up for re-election.
Johnson recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-signals-biden-impeachment-decision-coming-very-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> he would not &#8220;predetermine&#8221; an outcome. &#8220;But I do believe that very soon we are coming to a point of decision on it,&#8221; Johnson said, adding that the impeachment inquiry phase is an &#8220;important step&#8221; in ensuring due process.

Speaker Johnson Says Biden Impeachment Inquiry Has Reached Stage For ‘Key’ Witness Testimony

Speaker Johnson Says Biden Impeachment Inquiry Has Reached Stage For 'Key' Witness Testimony

The GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> screeched to a halt on Wednesday one day after lawmakers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/johnson-led-house-passes-bill-to-avert-government-shutdown-with-dem-support" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> a bipartisan stopgap measure to avert a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/government-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">government shutdown</a>.
In a <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023660?Page=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">225-198 vote</a>, 19 Republicans joined with Democrats to block debate on a long-term spending bill as well as a bill that sought to freeze <a href="https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/mccaul-introduces-bill-to-permanently-freeze-the-6-billion-in-iranian-funds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">billions of dollars</a> unlocked as part of the Biden administration&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-hands-iran-6-billion-5-americans-freed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hostage deal with Iran</a>.
Unable to proceed with consideration of the legislation, the chamber <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1724838997011161292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly opted</a> to leave early for <a href="https://twitter.com/MZanona/status/1724827604409049190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thanksgiving recess</a> and is poised not to return to legislative business for at least two weeks.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), one of the Republicans who opposed the continuing resolution (CR) on Tuesday and then voted against advancing the 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, (CJS) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act as well as the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act on Wednesday, called for a change in strategy.
&#8220;I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing — one — that I can go campaign on and say we did. One!&#8221; Roy <a href="https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1724852347505938942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exclaimed</a> in a fiery speech on the House floor.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chip Roy is fired up: “I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing that I can go campaign on and say we did. Come explain to me one meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done.”<a href="https://t.co/x9rWhl4aaN">pic.twitter.com/x9rWhl4aaN</a>
&mdash; TheBlaze (@theblaze) <a href="https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1724852347505938942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Less than a month into the role, Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) has sought to bring together a fractured GOP conference.
Johnson has faced some early setbacks as he tries to get the House to pass individual long-term spending bills, including the chamber <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2023/11/house-pulls-thud-bill-from-a-vote-again-00126003" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly shelving</a> a vote on a transportation funding measure in the face of some GOP resistance.
But the speaker did <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/12-house-dems-ignore-biden-veto-threat-help-pass-israel-aid-with-irs-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">score</a> a victory two weeks ago when 12 Democrats joined with Republicans to pass a White House-opposed plan to offset $14.3 billion in aid for Israel by slashing the same amount of funds meant for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
On Tuesday, the House approved a two-step CR, which aims to <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fund certain federal agencies</a> through the middle of January while others would get money through early February, ahead of a possible shutdown at the end of the week. The Democrat-led Senate is expected to vote on the CR as early as later on Wednesday.
Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1723443749668184161" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> the CR was needed to &#8220;place House Republicans in the best position to fight for conservative victories&#8221; and &#8220;stop the absurd holiday-season omnibus tradition of massive, loaded up spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess.&#8221;
That has not stopped House Republicans, including members of the conservative Freedom Caucus, from emphasizing their growing frustration.
&#8220;We’re done with the failure theater here in Congress — we&#8217;re not just going to pass bills that don&#8217;t address the problems that Americans face,&#8221; Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), chairman of the Freedom Caucus, <a href="https://twitter.com/RepScottPerry/status/1724861993289449530" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X on Wednesday.

Rep. Chip Roy

House Republicans Help Block Spending Bill After Bipartisan Stopgap Passes

Chip Roy

Government Shutdown

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