House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Fox Sunday to discuss House Republicans’ plan to investigate Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Special Counsel Jack Smith for targeting political opponents.
Sounds like just another word from Speaker Johnson. We want to see action!
Shannon Bream: Now, I want to ask you about the verdict. Clearly, you consider this a travesty, as many do. And I think having watched the trial, there are many reasons, fertile ground for the Trump team to use in the appeal, but it will take time. In the meantime, there are some Republicans out there saying, You should turn around and do this same thing. John, you wrote this. Republicans should sue Democratic officials, even the president. Only retaliate in such a way as to produce the necessary deterrence to enforce the political version of insured damage. The other side, Peggy Newton, wrote about how high the temperature is, saying this, We need to ease up. We need to stop feeling the hatred. We can’t go on like this. Are you worried that Republicans will be seen as doing the things you accuse Democrats of, using the legal system for political purposes? If you follow John Hughes’ advice.
Speaker Johnson: Here’s what I believe, Shannon. Listen, we are the party of the rule of law. Chaos is not a conservative value, and we have to fight again, and we will, with everything in Arsenal. But we do it within the limits of the rule of law. We believe in our institutions. We are Conservatives, and we are trying to preserve the greatest country in the history of the world, and the institution is an important part of it. Our justice system is an important part of that.
So what we’re going to do with the tools that we have in Congress, in the House, is use that oversight responsibility. We are done. You see our Chief Justice, Jim Jordan, issued a request for Alvin Bragg, the DA in Manhattan, and the lead prosecutor, Colangelo, to appear at a hearing on June 13th before the Select Committee on Firearms of the Federal Government because of that. what has been done.
And the purpose of the hearing is to investigate what prosecutors at the state and federal level are doing to use politics, political retribution in the court system to go after political opponents of federal officials like Donald Trump.
It’s a very important thing for us to delve into.
And we’re going to see special counsel Jack Smith, who we believe is also accusing the authorities. We have funding streams, we have mechanisms to try to control them. We will do this within our jurisdiction. I think that can have the desired effect and show the American people that we will not tolerate this.
Shannon, at the end of the day, people have lost faith in our own justice system, and that is a serious threat.
Shannon Bream: Okay, we’re almost out of time, but I want to quickly ask something that needs clarification. You said there, you think the Supreme Court should step in. You said, I am the justice in the court. I know many of them. I am very concerned. Now, one of your critics over there, someone who covers the court with me, part of the Supreme Court press corps, Mark Joseph Stern, wrote this. It was surprising to hear the House GOP speaker admit to having private conversations with multiple judges who expressed concern about Trump’s convictions. I’m sure the judges were kicked out of the last appeal so they wouldn’t sit on a case that was decided. I don’t take your comment to mean a specific conversation, but I want to give you an opportunity to clarify.
Speaker Johnson: No thank you. Of course, I haven’t talked to the judge yet. I just know the character, the personality. I know what he said in the past. They are deeply concerned, as we are, about preserving our justice system.
If you walk into the Supreme Court building, Shannon, you and I know chiseled in marble above the front door is equal justice under the law. He was concerned about keeping the idea alive. We are all because these are the necessary ingredients to maintain a Constitutional Republic.
That’s what I want. I think they are concerned about using the courtroom for politics and political retribution. All of us. We all should. Every American. That’s what I want. I think in their hearts they are as concerned as we are.
Watch:
House Republicans are investigating Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Special Counsel Jack Smith for targeting political opponents.
The American people deserve answers, and we will not tolerate this two-tier system of justice. pic.twitter.com/gHe5CgtsDT
– Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) June 2, 2024
You can watch the full interview below:
