House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was asked outright during an interview on Fox News Wednesday, if Republicans are guilty of weaponizing the federal government against Democrats as payback for Donald Trump’s conviction in New York.
Republicans have launched several investigation since retaking the House in 2022. Chief among the investigations was the ill-fated impeachment inquiry. Since the attempt to impeach Biden has fizzled, Republicans have stepped up efforts to investigate prosecutors who have launched investigations against Trump, including Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Special counsel Jack Smith.
On Wednesday, Republicans sent the Justice Department a criminal referral on Joe Biden’s son Hunter and the president’s brother James Biden, accusing them of lying to Congress.
In an interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto, Johnson was pressed on whether House Republicans are using their majority to exact revenge on Trump’s enemies.
“There’s sort of a pessimism that begins to develop, Mr. Speaker, that both sides are just playing this political game, a tit-for-tat game,” Cavuto said in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
“Mr. Speaker, are you weaponizing the House the same way you say Democrats were weaponizing the DOJ to get what they wanted?” the Fox News host added.
“No, no, there is a very clear distinction between what we are doing and what they have done in weaponizing the judicial system,” Johnson insisted.
Last week a jury in Manhattan found Trump guilty on all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to an adult film star to remain silent about his extramarital affair.
Trump and his allies, including Johnson, have repeatedly pushed the false claim that President Biden is behind his prosecution despite it being a state case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
