House Republicans booed and heckled a reporter who asked their latest choice for speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, about his support for Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
Late on Tuesday, Republicans held a press conference to announce Johnson as the fourth candidate for the role since right-wingers made Kevin McCarthy the first speaker ever thrown out by his own party. Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Tom Emmer previously failed to attract sufficient support.
Johnson said the caucus was now “united” and would move to confirm him as speaker on Wednesday.
But then Rachel Scott, of ABC News, said: “Mr Johnson, you helped lead the efforts to overturn the 2020 election result.”
Johnson was among 147 Republicans in the House and Senate who voted to object to results in key states won by Joe Biden.
A constitutional lawyer before entering Congress, Johnson also orchestrated an amicus brief, signed by 125 other Republicans, in a case in which Texas sought to have the US supreme court throw out election results in states won by Biden. The court declined to hear the case.
On Tuesday, Scott got as far as “Do you?” before she was cut off. Johnson smiled tightly and shook his head while his colleagues jeered and booed.
“Shut up,” said Virginia Foxx, 80, a white-haired grandmother from North Carolina, standing close to Johnson at the podium. “Shut up.”
Next to Foxx, tight to Johnson’s side, the far-right Colorado representative Lauren Boebert (also a grandmother, at 36), made a dismissive gesture. Behind her, Elise Stefanik, the House caucus leader from New York, gave a dismissive smile. A male voice called out: “2024!”
“Next question,” Johnson said. “Next question.”
Foxx, Boebert and Stefanik also voted to object to results in key states in 2020. So did Scalise and Jordan. Emmer, whose downfall opened Johnson’s path to power, did not (though he did join the amicus brief).
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Johnson said he was “very confident” he could get 217 votes on the House floor on Wednesday, the total needed for victory. His party whooped and clapped.
Among pressing issues facing the hitherto leaderless House are passing government funding and new aid for Ukraine and Israel, US allies under attack.
Scott asked: “Do you support additional aid to Ukraine?”
Foxx said: “You asked your question. Go away. Go away.”
Johnson, who previously said “the world is on fire, we stand with our ally Israel”, said: “We’re not doing policy tonight.”