Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) labeled new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as a “dangerous” choice.
What Happened: On “Politics is Everything” podcast Wednesday, Cheney criticized Johnson’s claim of commitment to defending the Constitution, saying he failed to do so following the last presidential election.
“He was willing to set aside what he knew to be the rulings of the courts, the requirements of the Constitution, in order to placate Donald Trump,” she told University of Virginia Center for Politics director Larry Sabato.
“So it's a concerning moment to have him be elected speaker of the House.”
See Also: Trump’s Son-In-Law Says American Jews Are ‘Safer’ In Saudi Arabia Than US Colleges
Why It Matters: Post the 2020 presidential election, Johnson, the newly elected Republican speaker, supported an amicus brief to overturn the election results in four states based on false allegations of widespread fraud. Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of the lawsuit, he succeeded in rallying over 100 Republicans in support.
Cheney, who was one of ten House Republicans voting to impeach Trump after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building, expressed her concern about Johnson’s conduct. “He was acting in ways that he knew to be wrong,” she said.
“I think that the country unfortunately will come to see the measure of his character.”
Johnson was elected as House Speaker after a 21-day period without a speaker. His rise to the top post took place in a span of a day following the failure or withdrawal of three proposed picks.
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