Speaker Mike Johnson claimed that Republicans were cut out of the negotiations on the border bill, but Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) said Johnson was invited but refused.
Did Mike Johnson Lie About The Border Bill?
Johnson tried to paint the House as being in the dark about the border bill negotiations on Meet The Press, “Well, you’re addressing some of the rumors about what are in this text. It’s been negotiated behind closed doors by a small handful of persons, and even most of the members of the Senate don’t know what’s in it.”
However, CNN’s Manu Raju reported, “One other note here, Johnson has complained, including today, that the House was essentially shut out of these negotiations. Lankford told me that the senators actually offered Mike Johnson the ability to sit down for the negotiations. Johnson said the House has already spoken, referring to that same bill, HR 2. And Johnson was loosely briefed, according to Lankford, over the course of several months.”
Video:
Sen. James Lankford says Senators offered to let Speaker Mike Johnson join the negotiations, “Lankford told me that the senators actually offered Mike Johnson the ability to sit down for the negotiations. Johnson said, “The House has already spoken.” pic.twitter.com/Xad2CW41Yg
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 5, 2024
House Republicans could have participated in this process and helped shape a bipartisan landmark bill that could become and deliver long-overdue immigration reform to the United States. Instead, Speaker Johnson chose to play politics and lie to the American people about it.
If the border bill fails, and it is likely to, it will be because Donald Trump and House Republicans killed it. If Johnson believed that the border bill was terrible, he would not have to lie to the American people about it.Mike Johnson claims to be a Christian, but he is just another MAGA liar who worships Donald Trump.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association