Rep. Mike Levin's Statement on Mike Johnson’s Election to the Office of Speaker of the House
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) released the following statement regarding Congressman Mike Johnson’s election to the office of Speaker of the House.
“Over the past 22 days, House Republicans have brought Congress to a standstill. Now, they are tripling down on their extremism by electing Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House. Make no mistake, a Johnson Speakership will be disastrous for the American people and dangerous for democracy.
“Speaker Johnson enabled the Big Lie. By leading an amicus brief contesting 2020 election results in key states, he created a permission structure for rank-and-file Republicans to try to overturn the election using arguments too weak even for the conservative Supreme Court. And now, Republicans have handed him the gavel.
“Speaker Johnson’s beliefs are antithetical to the progress we should be making for our constituents. He supports criminalizing abortion nationwide and stripping rights from the LGBTQ+ community, all while undermining Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It is sad to see that this is what today’s Republican party stands for.
“Right now, Americans and our allies abroad need leaders in Congress. In addition to avoiding a government shutdown on November 17, we must provide funding for Israel and Ukraine and tackle immigration and climate change. In the face of these challenges, we need leaders who will rise to the occasion and work in a bipartisan manner to uphold our nation’s values on the world stage.
“I am committed to working with reasonable colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver results for the people of California, American families, and our allies. I’m afraid that House Republicans under Speaker Johnson will not do the same.”
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