Gretchen Whitmer, the Democrat governor of Michigan, demanded that state House leaders show “empathy” and “compassion” for State Rep. Cynthia Johnson during a press briefing on Friday, claiming that the GOP went “too far” in stripping Johnson of all her committee posts after she aggressively threatened “Trumpers” in a viral video.
“I think that removing her from her committees is too far, truly, and I’ve reached out and asked the incoming House leadership to reconsider that,” Whitmer said Friday.
Whitmer also claimed Johnson deserves “some empathy and some compassion” because the representative was “exposed to COVID, frankly,” during recent hearings on election fraud, and is supposedly “the target of a lot of racist attacks and threats on her life.”
The Governor did not provide any specific examples of attacks or threats directed at Johnson.
Johnson was stripped of all her committee posts this week after she told Trump supporters to “be careful” and “walk lightly,” and ordered “soldiers” to “make them pay.”
Johnson, 62, was stripped of her post as the top Democrat on the Michigan House Oversight Committee, as well as her seats on the Agriculture Committee and Families, Children, and Seniors Committee Wednesday afternoon by Republican House leaders.
“Rep. Johnson has been removed from her committee assignments, and we are looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their own investigations,” a statement from House leadership said, adding that Johnson’s threats were “unbecoming of an elected official.”
The State Rep. has shown little remorse, and even insinuated that she is “owed” by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for putting her “life on the line” during another profane video rant on Thursday:
“I’m good, I’m okay, I’m not worried, I’m not going underground, I’m not changing my f**king phone number, I ain’t doin’ none o’ that!” Johnson screamed into her phone camera. “But we gon’ change some s**t that’s been goin’ on in the city of Detroit. Things that have happened to our people, in our communities.”
“Oh yes, the Biden and Harris administration owes the city of Detroit,” Johnson said. “Mhm. Oh yes. I put my life on the line for not only the Democratic party, the Republican party, the city of Detroit. I put my life on the line for justice, for democracy.”
Despite Whitmer’s demands, House GOP have stated that they have “no plans” to restructure the current committee assignments to reappoint Johnson.