A House Democrat committee posted false information attempting to paint GOP speaker nominee Mike Johnson as a “MAGA extremist.”
The House Judiciary Democrats’s attempt to blast Johnson in a tweet before Wednesday’s floor vote for the speaker’s gavel backfired when they claimed he was a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
“Rep. Mike Johnson is a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, which has pushed a budget proposal to defund the FBI,” the tweet reads.
MIKE JOHNSON COULD PULL OF HOUSE SPEAKER BID AS SUPPORT COALESCES AROUND HIM
The tweet from the party, whose members pushed defunding the police, included a screenshot from the Biden White House’s website that reads the “extreme MAGA Republican House Freedom Caucus proposal would eliminate funding for 11,000 FBI personnel, including agents who investigate crimes and keep guns out of the hands of felons and domestic abusers.”
Additionally, the screenshot included in the House Judiciary Democrats’ jab at Johnson includes the term “MAGA” — former President Trump’s campaign slogan and a term the White House Office of Special Counsel said violates the Hatch Act.
There was one problem with the Democrats’ plan, however: Johnson is not a member of the Freedom Caucus.
Fox News Digital reached out to the House Judiciary Committee Democrats for comment on the tweet but did not immediately receive a response.
The tweet comes as Johnson’s bid for House Speaker kicks off with a Wednesday floor vote.
Johnson may pull off his bid for the speaker’s gavel as his party’s support coalesces around him. Cohesion has been a driving concern among the House GOP as they search for a new speaker after the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
Johnson scored his party’s nomination late Tuesday, with several members absent and three voting present.
Johnson has since shored up support from the three Republicans who voted present in Tuesday’s late nomination vote — Reps. Mark Amodei of Nevada, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and French Hill of Arkansas.
Additionally, Wisconsin GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden is still overseas in Israel on a fact-finding mission, meaning Johnson’s margin of loss is smaller.
Johnson also got support from former President Trump, who gave his support for the GOP nominee, urging Republicans to “get it done, fast” ahead of a potential House speaker vote Wednesday.
