Thread by @JuddLegum

1. The new House Speaker, Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson, is relatively obscure.

But he is now one of the most powerful politicians in America.

Here are some things about Johnson's past that everyone should know

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2. In the early 2000s, Johnson advocated for public schools to teach a course that taught the Bible "as an accurate record of history"

Johnson said opposition to the course was "the height of political correctness."

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3. Johnson became an unofficial spokesperson for "covenant marriage." He gave national television interviews promoting the practice

Covenant marriage is an alternative to no-fault divorce that makes it difficult for women to leave a marriage, even in cases of physical abuse

4. In editorials from the mid-2000s, Johnson said that "homosexual relationships were inherently unnatural and, the studies clearly show, ultimately harmful and costly for everyone."

He also supported criminalization of sexual activity between people of the same sex

5. As a state legislator, Johnson sponsored the Marriage and Conscience Act, which prohibited the state from taking adverse action against anyone who "acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction about the institution of marriage"

6. Johnson's bill was viewed as a green light for discrimination and slammed as "bigotry enshrouded in religion"

Baton Rouge Metro Councilman John Delgado (D) called Johnson a "despicable bigot of the highest order" for pushing the proposal.

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7. The bill was opposed by IBM, Dow Chemical, and the state tourism board. They said, if passed, the bill would be a serious blow to business and tourism in the state.

Despite having support of the then-Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindall (R), the bill died in committee.

8. In 2016, Johnson proposed a bill that would protect clergy who didn't want to perform same-sex marriages. The bill was defeated after Johnson allegedly made "changes to the legislation that would have allowed clergy to refuse to perform marriages for interracial couples."

9. Johnson is an original co-sponsor of the "Life at Conception" bill, which would effectively ban all abortions. The bill would grant every "preborn human person" equal rights under the 14th Amendment from "the moment of fertilization."

popular.info/p/what-everyon…

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