Republicans Tell Reporter To 'Shut Up' and 'Go Away' for Asking Question

Republicans shouted and drowned out a reporter who attempted to question Mike Johnson about his involvement in trying to overturn the 2020 election.

The representative for Louisiana was selected by Republicans as their latest nominee for speaker of the House of Representatives on Tuesday night after three rounds of voting, and fielded questions from reporters in a press conference.

But some questions were less well-received than others.

When ABC News congressional reporter Rachel Scott began to ask: "You led the effort to overturn the 2020 election results, do you..." she was cut off by booing Republicans. She also tried to ask if he would support more aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert shouted: "Oh God," while Virginia Foxx of North Carolina shouted: "Shut up, shut up!".

"Go away! Go away!" another member shouted.

Johnson himself shook his head and said: "Next question."

"We're not doing any policy tonight," he added.

Newsweek has contacted Scott and the offices of Boebert and Foxx via email for comment.

Johnson, a lawyer and former talk radio host who was elected to Congress in 2016, is a close ally of former President Donald Trump and has repeatedly called charges against the former president "bogus."

In December 2020, Johnson gathered 105 colleagues to support an amicus brief backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit seeking to invalidate the then President-elect Joe Biden's wins in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

Johnson's nomination comes while the House has been without a speaker and in deadlock since Kevin McCarthy was ousted on 3 October and previous efforts from Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Tom Emmer of Minnesota failed.

Earlier in the day, Republicans had selected Emmer as their candidate but he withdrew his candidacy. Donald Trump had slammed him before the withdrawal in a social media post, calling him "out of touch" and a "RINO," or Republican In Name Only.

He added that voting for Emmer would be a "tragic mistake."

Johnson will now have to win 217 votes—a simple majority in the House—to ascend to the role. It remains to be seen if he will achieve that in the House on Wednesday afternoon and if he fails, Republicans will have to find another nominee once again.

Wrestling with that issue means the House cannot vote on any new legislation, meaning a national security package that would provide billions of dollars in additional aid to Ukraine and Israel is still pending.

Congress may also shut down in less than a month unless lawmakers can agree on a new plan to fund the federal government.