Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana has a history of aiding former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Despite his involvement in attempting to subvert the will of the people and spread misinformation about voter fraud, he is set to deliver remarks alongside Trump about “election integrity,” a term often used by Trump to describe the unfounded claims of election rigging in 2020. Johnson played a significant role behind the scenes in supporting Trump’s attempts to overturn the legitimate election results, questioning the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s victory and raising concerns about mail-in voting during the pandemic.
Johnson echoed many GOP complaints about mail-in voting and spread far-fetched conspiracy theories about voting technology companies rigging votes in favor of Biden. He claimed that Dominion and Smartmatic were involved in an international plot to flip millions of votes, despite these allegations being proven false. While Dominion and Smartmatic filed defamation lawsuits against pro-Trump media outlets and figures, Johnson avoided legal action. Additionally, he supported Trump’s efforts to invalidate the election results in key states, including Georgia, based on baseless claims of widespread fraud.
Following the January 6, 2021 insurrection, Johnson voted to object to the Democratic electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania, despite the fact that Biden had legitimately won those states. He inaccurately claimed there had been a usurpation of authority by judges who changed voting rules in 2020, further perpetuating false narratives about election integrity. Johnson’s efforts to nullify the results from Arizona and Pennsylvania, which would have disenfranchised millions of voters, were ultimately defeated by a bipartisan majority of lawmakers.
Despite the lack of evidence supporting claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, Johnson continued to promote baseless conspiracy theories and support efforts to overturn the results. His actions reflect a broader trend within the Republican Party of spreading misinformation about the election and questioning the legitimacy of Biden’s victory. Johnson’s involvement in Trump’s attempts to subvert the democratic process highlights the challenges in ensuring the integrity of future elections and the importance of holding elected officials accountable for their actions.
While Johnson may have avoided legal consequences for his role in spreading misinformation about the 2020 election, his actions have contributed to a climate of mistrust in the electoral process and raised concerns about the future of democracy in the United States. By aligning himself with Trump and promoting unfounded claims of voter fraud, Johnson has undermined the public’s confidence in the electoral system and perpetuated harmful conspiracy theories. Moving forward, it is crucial for lawmakers like Johnson to prioritize factual accuracy and uphold the integrity of the electoral process to ensure fair and transparent elections in the future.
