Milbank’s New Book Chronicles Dysfunction Under Speaker Mike Johnson
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank’s upcoming book, set for release next week, delves into the dysfunction plaguing the Republican-led House of Representatives under Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). In an excerpt published by The Post, Milbank recounts some of Johnson’s more unusual statements, including claims that God was guiding him directly in his path to becoming Speaker.
During a live-streamed conversation, Johnson shared, “I’ll tell you a secret since media is not here.” He explained that God wasn’t merely “speaking” to him but was walking him through plans and procedures at night. According to Johnson, God had given him a Moses-like task, stating, “We’re coming to a Red Sea moment.”
Despite Johnson’s claims of divine intervention, Milbank suggests that Johnson’s tenure as Speaker has been far from heavenly. Citing political scientist Tobin Grant, Milbank notes that Congress has accomplished very little under Johnson’s leadership. Grant’s calculations show that the legislative body has passed only 70 laws—the least productive stretch since the years leading up to the Civil War.
“But Johnson’s House isn’t merely unproductive; it is positively lunatic,” Milbank writes. He highlights how Republicans have used their power to focus on divisive issues, including attacks on racial diversity, immigrants, and LGBTQ Americans. They have also attempted to ban abortion and expand access to guns often used in mass shootings.
Milbank details the increasingly hostile behavior among members of Congress, including incidents where lawmakers insulted one another’s personal lives and even engaged in physical altercations in the Capitol basement. He also recalls moments during the State of the Union Address when Republicans yelled curses at President Joe Biden.
Johnson’s leadership has also seen members of the GOP defending the Confederacy and promoting conspiracy theories about the “Deep State,” including bizarre claims involving space aliens and even Mussolini. As the 2024 election approaches, the GOP is struggling to pass a bill to keep the government funded, with the threat of a shutdown looming just a month before November.
While Democrats favor a clean continuing resolution (CR), Republicans are attempting to attach election law changes to the bill. Former President Donald Trump has urged Johnson to force a shutdown if the voting bill isn’t passed. “I would shut down the government in a heartbeat if they don’t get it and they don’t get it in the bill,” Trump said.
