Mike Johnson’s Response To A Threat Against Hakeem Jeffries? He Blamed The People You’d Least Expect

Christopher Moynihan, a New York man who was among the first rioters to break into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his actions. But he did not serve his full sentence. He was pardoned by Donald Trump just hours after the former president returned to power earlier this year.

Nine months after getting the presidential pardon, Moynihan was back in the news. On Tuesday morning, police arrested him for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. According to local prosecutors, Moynihan texted about the New York Democratic congressman, saying, “I cannot allow this terrorist to live.”

According to MSNBC, when a reporter asked House Speaker Mike Johnson about the arrest, the Louisiana Republican said he knew very little about the story. Instead of speaking out against the threat, Johnson blamed “the left” for creating an “assassination culture.” His response suggested that the left was responsible for violence against both Republican and Democratic leaders.

The Speaker Used The Exact Words He Said Were Dangerous

The very next day, Johnson appeared on a show with Kaitlan Collins to talk about the ongoing government shutdown. During the interview, the House speaker said, “We will not negotiate with legislative terrorists,” talking about congressional Democrats.

The timing worried many people watching. Just one day earlier, the public learned about an alleged would-be killer who called a Democratic leader a “terrorist.” The next day, Johnson used the same kind of language on national television to talk about Democratic leaders.

After the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, many GOP officials, including Johnson, said that harsh rhetoric leads to political violence. These Republicans said that when big political figures use strong language, it makes things more dangerous and can lead to violence.

But Johnson’s recent comments seem to go against those earlier worries. After Trump posted online content showing images of Democratic leaders and calling them part of “the party of hate, evil, and Satan,” Johnson then called Democratic leaders “legislative terrorists” on national TV. The heated political tensions between party leaders continue to be a big part of national news.