Lawmaker Who Called on 'Soldiers' To Punish Trump Supporters Gets Support from Whitmer
Despite intimidating supporters of President Donald Trump in a viral rant earlier this week, a state lawmaker is getting a huge show of support from her Democratic governor.
On Thursday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that the punishment meted out against state Rep. Cynthia Johnson went “too far,” according to the Detroit Free Press.
Johnson sparked outrage last week after livestreaming a rant in which she called on “soldiers” to punish “Trumpers.” She lost her committee spots after state house leadership saw the video.
“So, this is just a warning to you Trumpers: Be careful,” Johnson warned in the video. “Walk lightly. We ain’t playing with you. Enough of the shenanigans. Enough is enough. And for those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it. Do it right. Be in order. Make them pay. I love y’all.”
It seems that according to Whitmer, this wasn’t a partisan attempt at intimidation at all.
“I think this is a woman who has been through a lot,” Whitmer said. “And I think it’s important that every single one of us give one another a little bit of compassion and grace.”
The governor asserted that Johnson’s sparring with Rudy Giuliani during an election integrity hearing made the lawmaker a “target of a lot of racist attacks” and has allegedly led to death threats.
Regardless of what may have led Johnson to air her profane rant, the legislature’s leadership did not look too kindly on this sort of behavior from an elected official.
Soon after her intimidation went viral, Johnson was booted from her committee seats.
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“Threats to Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. They’re even more unbecoming of an elected official,” Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield wrote on Twitter Wednesday.
“Rep. CA Johnson has been stripped of her committees and we’re looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their investigation.”
Threats to Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. They’re even more unbecoming of an elected official. Rep. CA Johnson has been stripped of her committees and we’re looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their investigation. pic.twitter.com/Y5lTqqmEVI
— Lee Chatfield (@LeeChatfield) December 9, 2020
While leaders of the state legislature appear intent on upholding their punishment until authorities investigate, Johnson is hinting at a big reveal that could seemingly turn the entire situation around.
“There is a big reveal later on today,” Johnson wrote early Thursday morning in a Facebook post. “Look out for it. All I can say is, shame on Michigan’s House leadership on both sides! Get yourselves ready to apologize to me publicly!”
Despite claiming a huge “reveal,” Johnson appears to have no game-changing evidence.
Without anything to fight her punishment, it seems as though she’ll be waiting a long while for that public apology.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
