WASHINGTON (AP) — Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson has been elected as the new House speaker in a post that had been vacant for an unprecedented three weeks. While Johnson is known for his deeply conservative stances within certain Washington circles, he remains relatively unknown outside of the Capitol. However, prior to his political career, Johnson spent years actively working against gay rights, citing his Christian faith and belief in liberty.
A recent examination by ABC News revealed that before joining Congress in 2017, Johnson dedicated a significant portion of his career to limiting gay rights. As an attorney and spokesman for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a Christian advocacy group, Johnson described homosexuals as “sinful” and “destructive.” He even authored op-eds advocating for the criminalization of gay sex. Johnson’s anti-gay activism extended to participating in counterprotests against LGBT rights events, including the “Day of Truth” in 2005.
Before his election to Congress, Johnson wore several hats: conservative talk radio host, columnist, college professor, constitutional law seminar instructor, and state lawmaker. He became a part of the Republican surge that accompanied former President Donald Trump’s rise to power when he was elected to the House in 2016. During his time in Congress, Johnson served on Trump’s legal defense team during his two Senate trials for impeachment charges and voted against bipartisan legislation to codify same-sex marriage.
Johnson’s efforts to limit gay rights also included drafting legislation like the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, aimed at preventing federal funding for sexually-oriented programs, events, or literature for children under 10. Critics dubbed the bill a federal “don’t say gay” measure, arguing that it would restrict LGBTQ content. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson has called Johnson “the most anti-equality Speaker in U.S. history.”
Records indicate that Johnson’s association with the ADF dates back to 2002. The Southern Poverty Law Center has accused the ADF of supporting the recriminalization of same-sex acts and claiming that a “homosexual agenda” will destroy Christianity and society. A senior counsel for the ADF, Jeremy Tedesco, defended the group as a defender of the fundamental freedoms of speech and religion.
Throughout his career, Johnson has fought against gay marriage and challenged laws providing benefits to same-sex partners. He has made anti-gay comments, suggesting that supporting homosexuality could lead to support for pedophilia. In 2005, he was honored by the Family Research Council for his work defending Louisiana’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Despite holding these views on gay rights, Johnson was unanimously elected as House speaker by his fellow Republicans. His election has stirred controversy within the party, as nearly 40 Republican House members had previously voted with Democrats to support legislation mandating federal recognition for same-sex marriages. Republican Rep. George Santos, the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress, was one of Johnson’s early supporters for the speakership.
