In a recent interview with CNN's "State of the Union" co-anchor Jake Tapper, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) discussed the latest developments on the "Big Beautiful Bill" and countered narratives propagated by the media and Democrats about the bill's implications.
As reported by RedState, Johnson refuted claims from both the left and right suggesting that individuals in dire need could potentially lose their Medicaid benefits.
Johnson emphasized that the bill's primary objective is to "preserve these very necessary, very important safety net programs for the people who actually need and deserve them, and not those who are gaming the system." He also highlighted the inclusion of work requirements in the bill and noted that approximately 1.4 million illegal immigrants are currently benefiting from Medicaid.
As the interview was drawing to a close, Tapper introduced a question about the "meme coin dinner" hosted by President Trump the previous Thursday. He queried Johnson's thoughts on the alleged lack of transparency regarding the guest list, which included "crypto influencers" and Trump meme coin investors. Johnson, who had been preoccupied with rallying his caucus around the bill, admitted to having limited knowledge about the dinner.
However, Tapper persisted, invoking the Hunter Biden issue. Johnson's response was a masterclass in deflection. The conversation unfolded as follows:
TAPPER: "You oversaw, as speaker, a congressional investigation into President Biden's ties to his son Hunter's questionable business dealings to enrich him. You seemed to think it was your responsibility to look into this sort of thing then."
M. JOHNSON: "Yes, Jake, the big, important distinction, the Biden crime family, as they were named, earned that title. Why? Because they use shell companies, fake LLCs, series of what appeared to be money laundering operations. And Hunter Biden, of course, with his difficult past and his -- the corruption in his past, the family on the public dole -- or on the President's dole. The President lied about his involvement in the business dealings, all of that. The evidence just piled up. And, by the way, at the same time, the evidence of his diminished mental capacity, subject of your book, of course. I wish had been published a year earlier, because everybody saw it. Everybody saw what was happening."
Johnson continued, highlighting the ongoing investigations in the House regarding the use of the autopen and the implications of President Biden's declining mental capacity. He contrasted this with President Trump's transparency, stating, "The difference, of course, is that President Trump does everything out in the open. He's not trying to hide anything. There's no shell companies or fake LLCs or fake family businesses. He's putting it out there, so everybody can evaluate for themselves."
Johnson's comments served as a critique of Tapper's reporting, suggesting that the CNN anchor had witnessed Biden's decline and corruption but chose to ridicule those who questioned it. He further insinuated that Tapper only decided to write about it after Biden left office, potentially for personal gain.
Tapper's co-authored book "Original Sin" with Axios reporter Alex Thompson was presumably intended to absolve him of his perceived biased reporting during the Biden-Harris era and the first Trump administration. However, it has instead led to increased scrutiny and criticism of his reporting.
Johnson's calm and composed response to Tapper's questions highlighted this credibility crisis, further undermining Tapper's journalistic reputation.
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