Speaker Mike Johnson Addresses Past Homophobia on Fox News' Hannity

New US House Speaker Mike Johnson Sean Hannity Show Fox News Appearance

Images: Fox News via youtube @SpeakerJohnson

The new speaker of the House has claimed a lapsed memory on past comments, while underscoring the rule of law amid pressing global issues.

Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).

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Newly elected Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson was featured on Fox News’ Hannity Thursday evening, addressing his previous stances on LGBTQ+ issues in his first interview since becoming second in line to the presidency.

Johnson, a conservative figure from Louisiana, has been sharply criticized for his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights in the past, including his support for criminalizing gay sex.

During the segment, host Sean Hannity revisited Johnson’s past remarks about homosexuality being “sinful” and “destructive” and his opposition to marriage equality. He pointed out that Johnson had once argued there was no explicit right to sodomy in the Constitution.

Responding, Johnson claimed a lapse in memory regarding his previous remarks on homosexuality, stating, “I don’t even remember some of them.” He then recounted his tenure as a litigator in the early 2000s, when he defended state marriage amendments.

Johnson suggests his position is that abortion should be left to the states and then quickly changes the topic
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He said, “I was a religious liberty defense lawyer, and I was called to go in and defend those cases in the courts.” Johnson clarified his position, saying, “I am a rule of law guy. … When the Supreme Court issued the Obergefell opinion, that became the law of the land. OK? I respect the rule of law, but I also genuinely love all people regardless of their lifestyle choices.”