Cheney: 'Dangerous' Johnson he knew his 2020 actions were ‘wrong'

Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has argued that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is "dangerous" and knew his actions surrounding the 2020 election “to be wrong."

“He was acting in ways that he knew to be wrong. And, I think that the country unfortunately will come to see the measure of his character," Cheney told election analyst Larry Sabato on the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics podcast, “Politics is Everything.” 

“One of the reasons why somebody like Mike Johnson is dangerous is because when you have elected Republicans who know better, elected Republicans who know the truth but yet will go along with the efforts to undermine our republic, the efforts, frankly, that Donald Trump undertook to overturn the election,” Cheney said. 

Johnson led an amicus brief supporting a Texas lawsuit following the 2020 election that sought to overturn election results in several states. He also voted to object to the election results in both Arizona and Pennsylvania shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Former President Trump congratulated Johnson on winning the Speakership after weeks of Republican chaos following former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) historic ouster from the leadership role early last month. 

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) got the nod from his party, but withdrew his name from consideration. Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) lost three rounds of voting on the House floor. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) was nominated, but bowed out shortly after. 

Johnson’s election to the Speakership ended weeks of Republican discord and uncertainty in the House, but his ascension to the top role has drawn criticism from Democrats, particularly over his actions surrounding the 2020 election. 

Cheney, a staunch critic of former President Trump, pointed to Johnson “convincing members of the conference” to sign on to the brief backing the Texas lawsuit contesting the 2020 election results. 

“In my view, he was willing to set aside what he knew to be the rulings of the courts, the requirements of the Constitution, in order to placate Donald Trump, in order to gain praise from Donald Trump, for political expedience. So it’s a concerning moment to have him be elected Speaker of the House,” Cheney said of Johnson.

Cheney joined the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics earlier this year as a professor. The center puts out the nonpartisan election handicapper Sabato’s Crystal Ball. She served as vice chairwoman of the House select committee on Jan. 6, and lost her House seat to a Trump-backed challenger in 2022.