Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had a full-blown meltdown at a press conference Wednesday morning, accusing Democrats of everything short of insurrection — all because they showed up at his office demanding he do his job.
“Last night, they played some games. They stormed my office,” Johnson told reporters, clearly rattled. “I saw some of the video online. They themselves shared, or someone did. They berated a Capitol police officer, screamed at him. He was merely standing his post.”
That’s right. Johnson is claiming that shouting at a police officer equals an “attack,” despite not one report of an actual assault. No one was arrested, no one injured, and the so-called “storming” involved House Democrats entering his office foyer — a space in a public government building — to protest his refusal to bring urgent legislation to the floor.
Johnson, however, likened it to a crime scene.
“It shows, again, their disdain for law enforcement, as we see all around the country, the Democrats, in that party, screaming, assaulting ICE officers. They did it right here in the Capitol last night.”
This sudden outrage over vocal protests rings especially hollow from a man who has publicly defended Donald Trump’s pardons of January 6 rioters — people who actually did storm the Capitol, injure officers, and try to overturn an election.
Back in March, Johnson told reporters he wouldn’t “second-guess” those pardons, even as law enforcement officers continue to deal with the physical and psychological scars from that day.
But now, Johnson’s drawing the line at Democrats yelling.
“A few members of Congress went into the little foyer of my office and tore down a sign that I had up and just engaged in all sorts of political stunts and antics,” he said. “They’ve been doing that every day now. It shows their desperation. It also shows a very strong contrast between the party that is working for the people and trying to keep the government open and do the right thing in the party that is engaged in all this nonsense.”
Let’s pause here: the “nonsense” Johnson’s referring to is Democrats demanding movement on stalled funding for Ukraine, border security, and keeping the government running — all of which Johnson has dragged his feet on under pressure from his own far-right caucus.
“We’ve always stood with Capitol police and law enforcement,” Johnson insisted. “We’ve shown that in word and deed.”
Except, again, when those officers were being bludgeoned with flag poles and sprayed with bear mace by pro-Trump extremists. Then, Johnson’s tone was all about “moving on.”
So yes, some Democrats got loud. They protested. But they didn’t bring zip ties. They didn’t smash windows. And they didn’t chant about hanging the vice president.
Still, to hear Johnson tell it, the real threat to democracy is lawmakers asking him to govern.
Watch the clip below:
