Free Republic

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) made some controversial statements on Sunday while speaking about why he hires so many black citizens to work for the city. While speaking to the congregation at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, Johnson made statements that brought criticism online, MRC-TV reported on Monday. “Some detractors that will push back on me and say, ‘The only thing the mayor talks about is the hiring of black people.’ No, what I’m saying is when you hire our people we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet,” Johnson...

During this week’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) insisted the so-called “big, beautiful” budget bill was still on track despite a setback in the House Budget Committee on Friday. Johnson reiterated his push to get the bill through while explaining its positive aspects. Partial transcript as follows: BREAM: OK. So, House Budget Committee, the vote failed on Friday. They’re back at it at 10:00 p.m. tonight. You heard what Maddie said. Part of the president’s posting on Friday: We don’t need grandstanders in the Republican Party. Stop talking and get it done. But you got...

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has canceled votes scheduled for Friday, May 16. According to Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), “Members are advised that votes are no longer expected in the House on Friday, May 16. He continued, “Last votes for the week are now expected at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 15. This is a change from the previously announced schedule.” No reason has been given. No accountability offered. Just more silence from the so-called “leader” of the House. ... Just last month, Johnson abruptly canceled the remainder of the week’s voting schedule, halting progress on critical conservative...

In a reprehensible slap in the face to the oppressed people of Venezuela, far-left members of the Democratic Party are urging President Obama to resist bipartisan efforts to level sanctions against the authoritarian government of Nicholas Maduro. Based on comments by the Administration, apparently their sympathy for the Marxist regime is shared by the White House in a startling reversal of national doctrine of supporting freedom and liberty that has endured since the US was founded in 1776. John Conyers, Democratic Congressman from Michigan, penned a letter to Obama signed by he and 13 of his colleagues urging them to...

Stephen Miller’s America First Legal (AFL) has filed a bombshell lawsuit against Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., in his capacity as Presiding Officer of the Judicial Conference of the United States, and Robert J. Conrad, Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The lawsuit accuses the powerful duo of running what AFL describes as an “unconstitutional shadow agency” and violating federal transparency laws. The lawsuit, filed on April 22, slams the Judicial Conference of the United States and its administrative arm—both overseen by Chief Justice Roberts—as rogue “executive agencies” that have collaborated with far-left lawmakers to wage...

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) backs President Donald Trump on tariffs, he made clear during an appearance at an Axios News Shapers event this week. Trump has the backing of Johnson, who said according to Axios that the tariffs “are working.” “I think the executive has a broad array of authority that’s been recognized over the years,” Johnson said. “If it gets close to where the imbalance is there, then we would step in.” However, if it came to that, Johnson said the first line of defense would be calling Trump directly. “But I think the first protocol, to be...

EXCLUSIVE: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said President Donald Trump has accomplished more in the first 100 days of his tenure than "most politicians or presidents accomplish in their entire lifetimes." The top House Republican said this first period of a new GOP trifecta in government has been a "flurry of activity" used to set the stage for the party's plans to pass a massive piece of legislation setting up Trump's priorities on defense, taxes, energy and the border. "So much of what we've done is leading up to the big reconciliation bill, and that is the legislative vehicle, as I've...

The terrifying face of an alleged Tren de Aragua gangster was revealed on Friday after he was arrested by ICE officers in Denver, Colorado - a sanctuary city. Joel Matos-Nieto, a 23-year-old illegal Venezuelan migrant with a face full of tattoos, has been accused by ICE of being a member of TdA, a gang whose members often have very specific ink. According to pictures shared by ICE's Denver Field Office, Matos-Nieto was arrested on a street in Denver and was seen handcuffed next to an agent with the DEA, which often participates in ICE raids. Since its founding in a...

During an interview with WVON on Thursday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said “the fluctuations of the market and Trump’s tariffs” have resulted in massive losses to the city “just because of the uncertainty and the chaos.” And also stated that he wants to raise taxes by imposing a financial transaction tax and expressed openness to a corporate head tax and stated that those things, along with lots of other ideas, would put “the burden on the very people that Donald Trump is trying to protect.” While discussing the city’s budget, [relevant remarks begin around 5:35] Johnson said that the budget...

A task force formed by Mayor Brandon Johnson nearly a year ago to determine whether and how the city should pay reparations to Chicagoans who are the descendants of enslaved African Americans will start meeting this summer to craft a plan to tackle the thorny issue. The 40-member task force will be charged with developing “Chicago’s first comprehensive reparations study, a critical step forward in acknowledging, addressing and repairing generations of harm experienced by Black communities,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office. Task force members will be paid to serve for a year, with the study of recommendations...

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said on Sunday said he’s questioning President Trump’s “endgame” in his approach to tariffs, saying the ongoing “volatility” isn’t good for businesses. “One thing I learned in the private sector is unpredictability can work pretty well in the negotiation, but the private sector — businesses want certainty. They want stability. They don’t like to see volatility,” Johnson said in an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.” “And, so, I’ve just been questioning exactly what’s the endgame here? What’s the strategy?” he continued. Johnson called himself an “unabashed free trader” and touted what he sees as the...

This week the US House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) by a vote of 220 to 208. If also passed by the Senate this legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote. Rep. Joe Morelle (NY) spoke out against the legislation calling it "excessively burdensome and unnecessary. Republicans contend that this legislation is needed to prevent the votes of citizens from being diluted by votes cast by non-citizens. They neglect to mention that it its already illegal for non-citizens to vote in most jurisdictions. Though I am pleased to say that most Democrats recognize...

The speaker also stopped short of guaranteeing House approval this week of a GOP budget plan. Meredith Lee Hill Meredith Lee Hill 04/07/2025, 2:46pm ET Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that the House will provide President Donald Trump with “space” to carry out his massive global tariff regime, even as some GOP lawmakers openly plead with Trump to negotiate off-ramps before the levies kick in on Wednesday. “We’re going to give him the space necessary to do it, and we’ll see how it all develops,” Johnson told reporters Monday afternoon. The speaker went on to argue Trump is “engaging and...

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has spoken with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) about making interest payments on loans for American-made cars tax deductible. While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump revealed that he has spoken with the leaders of both chambers of Congress about his vision for tax deductions on loans for U.S.-made cars. “If you buy a car in the United States that’s made in the United States, if it’s manufactured here… if you borrow money you have interest payments, we’re going to let you deduct the...

LeShon Johnson, a former running back for the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals, was arrested as part of the largest FBI crackdown on dog fighting in the history of the bureau. Johnson, 54, has been charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma with violations of the dog fighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Specifically, Johnson is charged with possessing, selling, and transporting 190 pit bulls and other dogs similar to pit bulls for dog fighting. Federal authorities raided Johnson’s property and seized the 190 canines in October 2024. “Animal abuse is cruel,...

Facing pressure from his right flank to take on judges who have ruled against President Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday floated the possibility of Congress eliminating some federal courts. It’s the latest attack from Republicans on the federal judiciary, as courts have blocked a series of actions taken by the Trump administration. In addition to funding threats, Trump and his conservative allies have called for the impeachment of certain federal judges who have ruled against him, most notably U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who attempted to halt Trump from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan...

During Saturday’s broadcast of FNC’s “Life, Liberty & Levin,” House Speaker Mike Johnson gave his take on his inability to work with the other side of the aisle, which was demonstrated during last week’s passage of the continuing resolution to fund the federal government. Johnson argued those difficulties showed there were Democrats who hated Trump more than they loved the country. “[S]o the next big thing on our plate is the reconciliation process, and that’s what we call the one big, beautiful bill,” he said. “And in that will be all of our campaign commitments, the promises we made on...

A lot of folks aren’t catching what Speaker Mike Johnson’s doing—he’s saying no spending cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency are hitting this new stopgap funding bill. He’s set to keep government cash flowing through October, holding it steady at last year’s levels, no trimming anywhere. Johnson’s pushing a “clean” continuing resolution—freezing funds where they landed in fiscal 2024—to dodge a shutdown come March 15, letting talks about next year’s budget stretch out. Johnson’s pitch is simple—pass a clean bill, no DOGE cuts, just keep the government running at the same pace as fiscal 2024, which clocked $6.752 trillion...

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he believes someone other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should lead his nation. Host Kristen Welker said, “Welker said, “Senator Lindsey Graham on Friday floated that President Volodymyr Zelensky may need to resign in order for there to be a peace agreement. Do you agree with that statement?” He added, “Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” I mean, it’s up to the Ukrainians to figure that...

President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed Alice Marie Johnson, a woman he pardoned during his first term, as "pardon czar." The announcement came during a Black History Month event at the White House. The "pardon czar" will be responsible for making recommendations about who should be granted clemency. Johnson was convicted of nonviolent drug trafficking in Memphis, Tennessee, and after serving 21 years, her life sentence was commuted by Trump. Reality television star Kim Kardashian West met with Trump at the White House a week prior to her release to discuss the great-grandmother's case. While Johnson claims she never "touched,...