EXPOSED: House Speaker Mike Johnson's Ties to Anti-Gay Conversion Therapy Group
Nov. 1 2023, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Newly elected Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson had ties to an anti-gay conversion therapy group before he became a politician and obtained the third-highest position in the United States, RadarOnline.com has learned.
A shocking new report revealed the Louisiana Republican had previously worked as an attorney for the socially conservative legal advocacy group, Alliance Defense Fund, which collaborated with an organization called Exodus International from 2006 to 2010.
It was discovered that Johnson had offered legal advice to Exodus and worked alongside the group to put on a yearly anti-LGBTQ event aimed at teens, a CNN KFile review of Johnson's past media appearances indicated.
Exodus attempted to make homosexual individuals straight through conversion therapy programs using religious and counseling methods. Conversion therapy claimed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, but was later discredited as ineffective as well as harmful to those who are subjected to the practice.
The "Day of Truth" event was a counterprotest to the "Day of Silence," during which students bring awareness to bullying faced by LGBTQ youth.
"I mean, our race, the size of our feet, the color of our eyes, these are things we're born with and we cannot change," Johnson said during a 2008 radio interview promoting the event. "What these adult advocacy groups like the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network are promoting is a type of behavior. Homosexual behavior is something you do, it's not something that you are."
He had also discussed the Roman empire amid claims that men often think about that time period. "Some credit to the fall of Rome to not only the deprivation of the society and the loss of morals, but also to the rampant homosexual behavior that was condoned by the society," Johnson said that same year.
The politician not only condemned homosexuality, but also advocated for the criminalization of gay sex.
During an interview with Sean Hannity, Johnson defended his view of the world as a "Bible-believing Christian," noting his mission is to do what's best for Americans and uphold the rule of law while revealing he doesn't recall some of his previous remarks.
Johnson's recent comments on Hannity have since come under fire by media personality Stephen Colbert, who mocked the politician after he secured the Speaker role.
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"Being biblically faithful is not easy for a guy from Louisiana 'cuz now he has to give up shrimp, crab, oysters and barbecue pork," Colbert said. "And I'm sure he's gonna miss his wife when she has to be cast out of town during the time of her blood, only to be allowed to return when she brings two turtledoves to the tabernacle for the priest to sacrifice."