Beau of The Fifth Column
Let's talk about Johnson vs Stefanik_ counter-intelligence edition....
04 Dec 2025
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Well, howdy there, Internet people. It's Belle again. So today, we're going to talk about Johnson vs. Stefanik, Counterintelligence Edition.
Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York blasted Speaker Mike Johnson over her belief that the speaker is hindering a provision she supports that would require Congress to be notified if the FBI starts a counterintelligence investigation into a candidate for federal office.
Chapter 2: What is the main conflict between Johnson and Stefanik?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but she's mad. Real mad. Bigly mad. And the internal division has spilled into public view. She posted, quote, I just walked out of a briefing on this issue this morning, confirming everything I posted yesterday. That yes, in fact, the Speaker is blocking my provision to root out the illegal weaponization that led to Crossfire Hurricane, Arctic Frost, and more.
He is siding with Jamie Raskin against Trump Republicans to block this provision to protect the deep state. She seems to be indicating she'll work against the NDAA unless it's included.
Chapter 3: How does Elise Stefanik accuse Johnson of blocking her provision?
That's widely seen as must-pass legislation. Johnson responded in true Johnson style, saying he didn't know anything. Quote, all of that is false. I don't exactly know why Elise won't just call me. I texted her yesterday. She was upset one of her provisions is not being made. I think into the NDAA.
Then added, as soon as I heard this yesterday, I was campaigning in Tennessee and I wrote her and said, what are you talking about? This hasn't even made it to my level. A speaker of the House not knowing about something in his own party that could threaten the passage of the NDAA is probably not something most speakers would want to publicly say.
But it didn't matter because Stefanik wasn't having it.
Quote,
Just more lies from the speaker and in true to form. The speaker texted me yesterday claiming he knew nothing about it. Yeah, right. This is his preferred tactic to tell members when he gets caught torpedoing the Republican agenda. It wasn't on your radar. This is the only provision in the bill to root out the deep state rot. She went on to accuse Johnson of working with the Democrats.
So, the NDAA is typically a pretty bipartisan appropriations issue, but if Stefanik mounts significant opposition, it hands Democrats leverage in the process because Johnson can't afford to lose many votes. At time of recording, it looks like he's going to cave to her.
The interesting part about this and how the Republican Party typically functions is that Johnson is shaping up to have a legacy as one of the worst speakers of the House in modern history. It'll be unlikely that the Republican Party blames Trump or his failed policies for their dysfunction, because they all supported him and the policies.
If they lose the gavel in the midterms, Johnson is likely to be made the scapegoat for a lot of Trump's failures. Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.
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