House Speaker Mike Johnson’s recent actions suggest that he has sold out to the establishment. While many are speculating that Speaker Johnson is playing politics to achieve a greater good, the reality is that he has gone back on his word, broken House rules, and supported unconstitutional legislation.
As a result of Johnson’s violation of his oath to protect and uphold the Constitution, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has threatened a motion to vacate the chair, a proposition that Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) have thrown their support behind.
Even Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) revealed on Fox News his disdain for Johnson’s actions, saying, “As I see it now, I’m not so sure there’s a difference between Mike Johnson being in charge and Democrats being in charge…. People have to be strong in their convictions. He was seen as a conservative before he came to the speakership … but now he’s completely changed and lost all his principles.”
How We Got Here
It is important to consider the reasons why Mike Johnson’s predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted as speaker to understand Johnson’s current crisis. As reported by The New American in January 2023, McCarthy made a crucial list of promises that allowed him to gain the reins of power in the House, which he inevitably broke, leading to his removal.
A few of the promises McCarthy made, which were inherited by Johnson, included possible spending cuts, voting on the Texas border plan, investigating the weaponizing of federal agencies, restoring the Holman Rule, allowing 72 hours for representatives to read bills before voting, and no more omnibus spending bills.
What Went Wrong?
After five months as speaker, Mike Johnson has explicitly broken two rules that he inherited: The 72-hour rule allowing for representatives to read legislation before passing it, and no omnibus spending bills.
Last month, the House approved a $1.2 trillion, 1,012-page federal spending “minibus” bill for fiscal 2024. The bill was released slightly before 3:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 21, and was passed right before the midnight deadline on Friday, March 22, smashing two rules in one blow.
More recently, Mike Johnson shocked conservatives with his support of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is a direct violation of the 4th Amendment, allowing the federal government to spy on Americans without a warrant. When asked by reporters about his change of heart on FISA, Johnson responded, “As a member of the Judiciary [Committee], I saw the abuses of the FBI that were terrible, terrible abuses, hundreds of thousands of abuses. And then, when I became speaker, I went to the SCIF and got the confidential briefing from the other perspective on the necessity of Section 702 of FISA and how important it is for national security. It gave me a different perspective.”
The legislation reauthorizing the act was signed into law by President Biden last week.
Speculations and Theories
Many Trump supporters were confused to hear the former POTUS offer praise for Speaker Johnson shortly after the FISA fiasco, as Trump claims that his campaign was spied on because of unconstitutional surveillance laws. However, Trump complimented Johnson, spurring theories that the two are collaborating behind the scenes, saying, “It’s not an easy situation for any speaker; I think he’s doing a very good job, and he’s doing about as good as you’re going to do.”
On April 18, California pastor Jack Hibbs released a video aimed at Christians, saying that “There’s going to be some major decisions made in Washington, D.C. But the number one decision that many Republicans want to do is to oust Speaker Johnson because he is all about Israel. And he is standing alone predominately right now.”
Hibbs continued arguing that lies about Johnson are being spread to “get the American people to go against Mike Johnson. Why? Because many of these Republicans don’t want to support Israel.”
Some Americans are speculating that Mike Johnson is participating in a game of 4-D chess, making concessions behind closed doors to protect against a Democratic threat to pack the Supreme Court, remove funding from Israel, or withhold the release of blackmail against House Republicans, in order to prevent the whittling down of the ever-shrinking GOP majority, which is now two members away from evaporating. However, despite any potential behind-the-scenes strategy to accomplish a greater good, constitutional principles simply cannot be abandoned.
The Final Analysis
Mike Johnson said within a week of his appointment to the speakership that “Someone asked me today in the media, and they said, ‘It’s curious; people are curious: What does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That’s my worldview.’”
In that light, Jesus said in Matthew 5:37, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
Whatever Mike Johnson’s alleged motivations for his recent abuses of power, the Constitution should not be sacrificed, and trust in our leader’s word should not be compromised in pursuit thereof. The Left believes that the ends justify the means. That does not mean the right should, too, no matter how noble those ends might be.
