House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated in a recent cable news interview that he could not recall whether he had voted against birth control, despite evidence showing that he did so just over a year ago. Johnson, a far-right lawmaker known for his controversial views on abortion and marriage, was one of the 195 House Republicans who voted against enshrining the right to birth control into law last July. This vote gained attention as Justice Clarence Thomas, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, called for the court to also overturn privacy rights related to contraception and marriage equality.
During the interview on Fox News Sunday, Johnson was asked about his stance on access to contraception and did not rule out voting against it. However, when pressed about his past votes against reproductive health care, he claimed, “I really don’t remember any of those measures.” This statement has been met with skepticism, as Johnson had previously voted against the Right to Contraception Act (HR 8373), which aimed to establish a legal right to obtain and use FDA-approved forms of contraception. The vote on this bill was 228 to 195, with two members of Congress voting “present.”
In addition to opposing contraception, Johnson is also a co-sponsor of the Life at Conception Act (HR 431), a bill that seeks to grant legal personhood to fertilized eggs, effectively banning abortion nationwide and potentially affecting embryos created for in vitro fertilization (IVF). While he has not yet voted for a total abortion ban or against IVF, his co-sponsorship of this bill contradicts his disingenuous response during the interview.
Johnson, a Christian nationalist, holds conservative views on abortion, divorce, gay marriage, and even pornography. A peculiar story about him monitoring his son’s porn consumption and referring to his son as his “accountability partner” has also surfaced. These controversial views, combined with his apparent lack of recollection regarding his stance on birth control, have raised concerns about his ability to accurately represent his constituents.
It is clear that Johnson’s past voting record and public statements contradict his claim of not remembering his votes against reproductive health care. As a public figure, he should be held accountable for his actions and positions, especially when they impact women’s access to contraception and reproductive rights.
