Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) travelled to a New York courtroom Tuesday to appear by Donald Trump just days after Johnson ruled out using his power to aid Trump in the “politically motivated” battle to imprison the president.
The performative show of support from the Speaker comes days after Johnson’s coalition government was saved by Democrats.
Johnson, in comments to establishment outlet Politico only hours after 163 Democrats voted to save his speakership, announced he would not use Congress’s constitutional power of the purse to stop special counsel Jack Smith’s “lawfare” against Trump.
“That’s not something you wave a wand and just eliminate the special counsel as a provision,” Johnson told Politico.
When asked straightforwardly if he would write language eliminating Smith’s job into appropriations bills, Johnson replied “no.”
This is not the first time the Speaker has latched onto President Trump after taking a position against conservatives. Hours after Johnson passed a warrantless surveillance amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), he took a trip to Mar-a-Lago for a photo opportunity with Trump.
Trump used the awkward appearance to offer tepid support of Johnson, saying he is doing a “good job.”
Johnson’s statements come as he prepares to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) – one of the final must-pass pieces of legislation this Congress – without forcing a fight on defunding Smith’s office.
Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) pressured Johnson to put up a fight against Democrats with the bill. Johnson had already surrendered leverage on the FAA bill to the Senate, allowing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to craft the reauthorization and send it to the House.
Trump previously signaled his support for Congress to defund Smith’s office. He signed a printout of a Greene statement about her defund strategy, writing “Great!” in his iconic magic marker.
Moments after Democrats saved Johnson’s speakership Wednesday night, Trump weighed in, suggesting the time was not right for ousting Johnson — although the time may come.
“We’re not in a position of voting on a Motion to Vacate,” he said. “At some point, we may very well be, but this is not the time.”
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.
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