Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

LetMyPeopleVote

(160,865 posts)
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 12:22 PM Jan 16

Why did Speaker Johnson oust his own party's Intelligence Committee chair?

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Donald Trump wasn't involved in the decision to oust the chair. There's reason to believe otherwise.
https://bsky.app/profile/actiontogethernj.bsky.social/post/3lfunie2v2k2z

Why did Speaker Johnson oust his own party’s Intelligence Committee chair?
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Donald Trump wasn't involved in the decision to oust the chair. There's reason to believe otherwise.



https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/speaker-johnson-oust-partys-intelligence-committee-chair-rcna187931

When the Louisiana Republican was pressed for an explanation, Johnson reportedly told his members that the appointments came at the behest of Donald Trump, who wanted unqualified MAGA loyalists on the powerful panel.

It’s against this backdrop that the beleaguered speaker made yet another highly provocative move on the panel formally known as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. NBC News reported:

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has informed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, that he will no longer be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, according to a GOP leadership source and a Republican lawmaker familiar with the matter. The lawmaker said Turner told him Wednesday that he would not be staying on as head of the critical panel that conducts oversight of the U.S. intelligence community.


Turner confirmed in a written statement that he’d been stripped of his intelligence committee gavel, though the Ohioan did not explain why, exactly, he’d been demoted....

If those reports are accurate, they lead to a rather obvious question: Why would the president-elect oppose Turner staying on as the chair of the intelligence panel? To understand Trump’s possible motivation, consider this paragraph from the Times’ report:

Mr. Turner, a mainstream conservative who has represented southwestern Ohio in the House for more than two decades, has at times been critical of Mr. Trump’s actions. He broke with the majority of his party on Jan. 6, 2021, and voted to certify Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s 2020 election. He has also been a leading proponent of supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, breaking with the “America First” stance of the president-elect and many others in his party.


Indeed, it’s probably fair to say that among House Republicans, Turner is among the most enthusiastic supporters of backing Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the Ohioan has championed the NATO alliance.....

In 2014, I referred to John Boehner as the “Speaker in Name Only” because the then-GOP leader struggled to get his own members to follow his directives, leaving him effectively powerless when trying to legislate.

More than a decade later, as Johnson owes his tenure to the president-elect, there’s reason to believe the “SINO” title is poised to make a comeback
22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Why did Speaker Johnson oust his own party's Intelligence Committee chair? (Original Post) LetMyPeopleVote Jan 16 OP
Because the convicted felon told him to, why else. republianmushroom Jan 16 #1
Widdle Mikey does what he's told...nt wcmagumba Jan 16 #2
He supports Ukraine & other security issues go against Putin. Seriously, That's why. themaguffin Jan 16 #3
He voted to certify Biden as the winner of election. travelingthrulife Jan 16 #6
He could have already been removed. This is to have to no interference in Putin's policies themaguffin Jan 16 #9
The felon demanded it and Johnson obeyed. Deuxcents Jan 16 #4
Oh, the complicity!!! FeelingBlue Jan 16 #5
Because the oly thing that matters now is what Trump wants. Happy Hoosier Jan 16 #7
Mike Turner is not slimy, creepy, crooked enough for Trump? Irish_Dem Jan 16 #8
Speaker Johnson is AFRAID of Trump--simple as that. riversedge Jan 16 #10
A little too much integrity. moondust Jan 16 #11
Because of Turner's support for Ukraine. sinkingfeeling Jan 16 #12
By hollowing out the intelligence agencies... liberalgunwilltravel Jan 16 #13
mike johnson OuacthitaDem Jan 16 #14
Timothy Johnson is not Mike Johnson Bernardo de La Paz Jan 16 #15
How is he connected to Johnson? n/t Lulu KC Jan 17 #21
I'm intrigued by your user name. TomSlick Jan 18 #22
In case you're wondering why Mike Turner was booted from Intel👇👇👇 LetMyPeopleVote Jan 16 #16
+1. That was a no-no dalton99a Jan 16 #17
. dalton99a Jan 16 #18
Key committee members 'extraordinarily angry' at Mike Johnson's latest move: reporter Brad Reed LetMyPeopleVote Jan 16 #19
Seems a lot of Repug voters, even those in Congress, may start having voter's allegorical oracle Jan 16 #20

Deuxcents

(21,576 posts)
4. The felon demanded it and Johnson obeyed.
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 12:27 PM
Jan 16

Can’t have any bipartisanship or soft spots for anything other than cruelty and misery

FeelingBlue

(769 posts)
5. Oh, the complicity!!!
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 12:41 PM
Jan 16

Books will be written about the complicity that led to the dismantling of our institutions. Johnson will be described as one of the collaborators. May he have a REAL come to Jesus moment -one way or another- before he does more harm.

13. By hollowing out the intelligence agencies...
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 03:24 PM
Jan 16

Trump not only endangers the US, he also endangers himself, personally. When the idiots he's installed don't get the necessary intelligence to protect Orange Jebus, too bad, so sad. Hopefully, Trump will be gone before he destroys the United States.

OuacthitaDem

(1 post)
14. mike johnson
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 03:42 PM
Jan 16

This should tell you about johnson and his family. Mack Ford was a baptist preacher who started a home for troubled girls. Well just read it because it's all true.

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2015/01_02/2015_02_12_Catalanello_MackW.htm

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,872 posts)
15. Timothy Johnson is not Mike Johnson
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 05:32 PM
Jan 16

The article makes no mention of Mike Johnson. Nor does it explain any connection. Nor do you.

This should tell you about johnson and his family.


Except it tells us nothing.

TomSlick

(12,277 posts)
22. I'm intrigued by your user name.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:23 AM
Jan 18

I live within a few blocks of the Ouachita (one t) River.

LetMyPeopleVote

(160,865 posts)
19. Key committee members 'extraordinarily angry' at Mike Johnson's latest move: reporter Brad Reed
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 06:43 PM
Jan 16

Mike Johnson has such a small majority in the House that this move may come back to haunt him



https://www.rawstory.com/key-committee-extraordinarily-angry-at-mike-johnson-s-latest-move-reporter

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Wednesday made a surprise move to oust Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee -- and it's reportedly not sitting well with many members.

Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman reports that Johnson's ousting of Turner "has left him with an *extraordinarily* angry House Intelligence committee," although he did not provide any quotes from members to back up his claim.

While Johnson has said it was entirely his decision to remove Turner as chair of the committee, other reporting has suggested that he was removed at the behest of President-elect Donald Trump.

Turner in the past has been unafraid to call out members of his own party for parroting Russian propaganda, as he told CNN's Jake Tapper last year that he was concerned about some Republicans for reciting Kremlin talking points about the war in Ukraine.

"We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor... I mean, there are members of Congress today who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which, of course, it is not," he said. "Now, to the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle, which is what it is."

allegorical oracle

(4,456 posts)
20. Seems a lot of Repug voters, even those in Congress, may start having voter's
Thu Jan 16, 2025, 06:53 PM
Jan 16

remorse. As for Weenie Johnson, we're probably going to hear the "Adolph Eichmann excuse" fairly often: "I just followed orders."

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Why did Speaker Johnson o...