Speaker Johnson Endorsed Far-Right Book With Conspiracy Theories, Homophobic Slurs

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) endorsed a 2022 book that pushed debunked conspiracy theories and used homophobic slurs, going so far as to pen its foreword, CNN reports.

Far-right blogger Scott McKay’s book, The Revivalist Manifesto, backs “Pizzagate,” a viral conspiracy theory during the 2016 presidential election campaign that claims senior Democrats run a pedophile ring.

The book also declares voters from underserved communities “unsophisticated and susceptible to government dependency” and claims they were manipulated with “Black Lives Matter ‘defund the police’ pandering.”

CNN reported on Friday that the House speaker promoted the book on his podcast, Truth be Told with Mike & Kelly Johnson, saying that it “really could make some waves.”

He had also written several opinion articles on McKay’s blog, The Hayride, including one published on Jan. 6, 2021, in which he said he would object to President Joe Biden’s certification.

In the book’s foreword, Johnson wrote that McKay “managed here to articulate well what millions of conscientious, freedom-loving Americans are sensing.”

A spokesperson for Johnson responded to CNN, claiming that the House speaker never read the sections of the book featured in the news channel’s report.

“He wrote the foreword as a favor to a friend, supportive of the general theme of the book but not as an endorsement of all the opinions expressed.”