Courage for America Launches Ads Across New York Defining Speaker Mike Johnson: “MAGA Extremist and Election Denier”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Courage for America launched a new ad campaign to define Speaker Mike Johnson on day one of his speakership. The ads will run through the end of the month targeting every New York member of Congress who voted for Johnson:

  • LaLota (NY-01)
  • Garbarino (NY-02)
  • Santos (NY-03)
  • D’Esposito (NY-04)
  • Malliotakis (NY-11)
  • Lawler (NY-17)
  • Molinaro (NY-19)
  • Stefanik (NY-21)
  • Williams (NY-22)
  • Langworthy (NY-23)
  • Tenney (NY-24)

“Congressman Mike Johnson is a tried and true MAGA extremist and election denier who helped lead the charge to overturn the 2020 election results. He has no business being Speaker,” said José Morales, Jr., spokesperson for Courage for America. “His extreme agenda – from a national abortion ban to cuts to Social Security – will impact millions of New Yorkers, which is why it is absolutely imperative we come together and raise the alarm bell on this new MAGA Speaker and his divisive and deeply unpopular record.”

WATCH: Meet the MAGA Speaker” (Rep. Santos)

TRANSCRIPT:

ABC’s Rachel Scott: Mr. Johnson, you helped lead the efforts to overturn the 2020 election results

[Booing]

Rep. Virginia Foxx: Shut up

Rep. Johnson: Next question

Rep. Ken Buck: He voted to decertify… absolutely.

NPR’s Deirdre Walsh: And now Republicans are turning to someone who helped lead the charge to overturn the results of the 2020 election…

CNN’s Abby Phillips: You think it’s okay for him, or any other Speaker candidate, to have voted to decertify the last election, which was free and fairly won?

Rep. Ken Buck: I don’t think it’s okay… I think it’s a mistake…

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

  • Johnson is an election denier who voted to overturn the election results in 2020.
  • Johnson led the “amicus brief in a Texas lawsuit to invalidate millions of votes and the election results from four key swing states that went for President-elect Joe Biden.”
    • CNN: “Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana, a close ally of President Donald Trump, sent an email from a personal email account to every House Republican soliciting signatures for an amicus brief in the longshot Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate electoral college votes from Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.”
    • Reporter Andy Kaczynski on the Texas lawsuit: “It was probably outside of January 6 the second most extreme action in that whole post 2020 period.”
  • Johnson voted against establishing the January 6th investigative committees.
  • Johnson voted for a national abortion ban and cosponsored a 15-week abortion ban in 2022.
    • He holds an ‘A+’ Rating from Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, a national, extreme anti-abortion group.
  • In September 2023, Johnson voted for the House Republicans’ continuing resolution that would cut access to Social Security.
  • Johnson is a member and former leader of the Republican Study Committee, a group of Republicans proposing to cut Social Security and Medicare, which will put millions of senior and low-income Americans at risk.
  • Johnson repeatedly voted against the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would allow the Department of Justice to overturn discriminatory state and local voter suppression laws.

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About Courage for America

Courage For America is a campaign advised by a council of proud Americans speaking out against an extreme MAGA agenda that puts money and power over the rights and freedoms of the American people. The campaign is amplifying the voices of Americans in communities across the country — veterans, educators, faith leaders, and more — to demand the People’s House works for the people. courageforamerica.org