Speaker Johnson distances himself from Republicans calling VP Harris a DEI hire

[RAY BOGAN]

House Speaker Mike Johnson distanced himself from House Republicans who called Vice President Kamala Harris a DEI hire. Johnson instead said the election is about policies, not personalities. 

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La: “This election, as I noted at the outset, is going to be about policies not personalities. This is not personal with regard to Kamala Harris and her ethnicity or her gender have nothing to do with this whatsoever. This is about who can deliver for the American people and get us out of the mess that we’re in. Every area of public policy is a disaster because the Biden-Harris Administration made it that way. That’s what this election is about.” 

[RAY BOGAN]

Multiple Republicans have said Harris is in the administration to fulfill Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals. 

Congressman Tim Burchett called her a “DEI hire” 

Congressman Burgess Owens called her, “the greatest example of DEI”. 

Congressman Glenn Grothman said Democrats, “have to stick with her because of her ethnic background.”

Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-FL: “Whenever you hear DEI, I want you to think about the N-Word, I want you to think about racial slurs, that’s what they actually mean.” 

[RAY BOGAN]

Republicans strongly oppose DEI. They have introduced bills to ban DEI programs in the federal government, in pension investments, K-12 schools and more. While the speaker is not using that language, Republicans who said it are not changing their tune. 

Tim Burchett, R-TN: “If you just quote the President of the United States – ‘diversity, equity inclusion are the core strengths of America. It starts at the top with the Vice President.’ That was Joe Biden. So why aren’t you sticking a mic in his face today? I’m not trying to be a jerk. But the question is, I’m just quoting him.”

[RAY BOGAN]

Okay. But let me ask you this. If she was a senator, a state attorney general and a prosecutor, and she’s entirely qualified, why does it matter if the color of her skin was also a consideration in choosing her?

Burchett: “I didn’t say that. She’s done a terrible job as Vice President. She was our border czar and look what we got – 14 million illegals over the border, Chinese communists, 100,000 there, terrorists have been on the border, they’ve been captured, been released. That’s her qualifications right there. Just look at them and they’re terrible. It could cost this country a lot of people. A lot of people been raped and murdered and kidnapped because of those illegals and because of her inability to do what she said she was gonna do.”

[RAY BOGAN]

For more reporting straight from DC, download the straight arrow news app and turn on notifications.