House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., stated right after the motion to vacate the speaker's chair was tabled that he would not use congressional funding powers to stop special counsel Jack Smith from pursuing former President Donald Trump.
"That's not something you wave a wand and just eliminate the special counsel as a provision. There is a necessity for a function like that, because sometimes the Department of Justice — which is an executive branch agency — can't necessarily, without a conflict of interest, investigate or prosecute the president who's their boss, or the president's family," Johnson told Politico.
When Johnson was asked if he would eliminate Smith's job by putting that into appropriations bills, Johnson said "no."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who brought the motion to vacate, posted to X regarding the speaker's statement: "Mike Johnson when asked if he will stop the witch hunt that aims to throw President Trump in jail FOR LIFE!"
Jeremy Frankel ✉
Jeremy Frankel is a Newsmax writer reporting on news and politics.