Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Mike Johnson

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Mike Johnson.

Mike Johnson is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 56th Speaker of the House since 2023. A Republican, he has represented Louisiana's 4th congressional district in the House of Representatives since 2017, currently serving his fifth term.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2003: Opposition to Lawrence v. Texas decision

In 2003, Mike Johnson opposed the U.S. Supreme Court decision Lawrence v. Texas, which decriminalized private sexual conduct between consenting adults. Johnson's employer at the time, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), submitted an amicus brief supporting criminalization, and Johnson wrote that states have legitimate grounds to proscribe same-sex sexual intercourse.

2003: Writings against same-sex marriage

In a 2003 article, Mike Johnson wrote that homosexuals do not meet the criteria for a suspect class and are capable of changing their lifestyles. He also argued that legalizing same-sex marriage could jeopardize the country's democratic system, warning of chaos and sexual anarchy.

2004: Defended Louisiana Amendment 1

In 2004, Mike Johnson defended Louisiana Amendment 1, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman within the Louisiana Constitution, against legal challenges.

2005: Campaign against GLSEN's Day of Silence

In 2005, Mike Johnson campaigned against GLSEN's annual anti-bullying Day of Silence, stating that it was cloaking the message that "homosexuality is good for society".

April 2015: Proposed the Marriage and Conscience Act

In April 2015, Mike Johnson proposed the Marriage and Conscience Act in Louisiana, which aimed to protect individuals' and entities' beliefs about marriage. The bill faced criticism and was viewed by some as discriminatory.

May 19, 2015: Marriage and Conscience Act tabled

On May 19, 2015, the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee voted to table Mike Johnson's Marriage and Conscience Act, effectively ending its chances to become law. In response, Governor Bobby Jindal issued an executive order to enforce its intent.

2015: Johnson links abortions and family breakup to school shootings

In 2015, Johnson blamed abortions and the "breakup [of] the nuclear family" for school shootings. In 2015, he wrote on Facebook that Donald Trump "lacks the character and the moral center we desperately need again in the White House".

2016: Sermon linking evolution to mass shootings and opposition to medical cannabis expansion

In 2016, Mike Johnson delivered a sermon that attributed mass shootings to the teaching of evolution, claiming it devalues life. Also in 2016, Johnson opposed the expansion of medical cannabis in Louisiana, citing concerns about its potential to worsen certain conditions, especially epilepsy in children.

November 17, 2020: Johnson alleges voting machines were rigged

On November 17, 2020, Johnson said there was "a lot of merit" to allegations about voting machines being rigged with Dominion software.

December 2020: Johnson leads effort to support Texas v. Pennsylvania

In December 2020, Johnson led an effort in which 126 Republican U.S. representatives signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election.

2020: Johnson argues to reject 2020 election results

In 2020, Johnson's argument was that certain state officials had violated the Constitution by relaxing restrictions on mail-in voting or early voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic without consulting state legislatures.

2020: Contested the 2020 presidential election results

In 2020, Mike Johnson contested the results of the 2020 presidential election in the House and in court.

2020: Voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results

In 2020, Mike Johnson was among 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

January 6, 2021: Johnson votes against commission to investigate January 6 storming

On May 19, 2021, Johnson voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, storming of the United States Capitol.

January 2021: Johnson objects to certifying 2020 election results

During the January 2021 United States Electoral College vote count, Johnson was one of 120 U.S. representatives who objected to certifying the 2020 presidential election results from both Arizona and Pennsylvania. The New York Times called Johnson "the most important architect of the Electoral College objections".

May 19, 2021: Johnson votes against commission to investigate January 6 storming

On May 19, 2021, Johnson voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, storming of the United States Capitol.

October 2022: Johnson denies supporting claims of massive fraud in 2020 election

By October 2022, Johnson said that he had never supported claims that there was massive fraud in the 2020 election.

2022: Introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act

In 2022, Mike Johnson introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, which would prohibit federally funded institutions from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill has been compared to the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" law.

July 2023: Opposition to gender-affirming care for children

At a July 2023 hearing on transgender youth, Mike Johnson spoke against allowing children to receive gender-affirming care, emphasizing the public interest in protecting children from abuse and harm. He has co-sponsored legislation to make it a felony to provide opposite-sex hormones or gender-affirming surgeries to minors.

2023: CNN report on anti-gay language

In 2023, CNN reported that Mike Johnson had a history of harsh anti-gay language from his time as an attorney for a socially conservative legal group in the mid-2000s, pointing to editorials he wrote in The Shreveport Times. Johnson responded that he doesn't remember some of them and that he was defending state marriage amendments, affirming his Christian beliefs and respect for the rule of law.

2023: Co-sponsored personhood legislation

In 2023, Mike Johnson co-sponsored legislation declaring that human life and personhood begin at conception, with no exception for in-vitro fertilization treatments involving embryos or embryonic stem-cell research.

November 2024: New policy on bathrooms in U.S. Capitol

In November 2024, Mike Johnson announced a new policy on bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol, reserving single-sex facilities for individuals of that biological sex. The policy was enacted shortly after the election of Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.

March 2025: Criticism of judges blocking Trump administration policies

In March 2025, Mike Johnson criticized federal judges for issuing injunctions against the Trump administration's policies, arguing it violated the separation of powers. He also suggested Congress could eliminate district courts and urged judges to "step back" from interfering with DOGE's attempts to improve governmental efficiency.