‘Why Won’t He Answer?’ Journalists Defend ABC Reporter Heckled by House GOP For Confronting Mike Johnson’s Election Denial
Reporters rallied behind ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott after the hostility she encountered for trying to ask Republican House Speaker-Designee Mike Johnson (R-LA) about his election denialism.
Hours after Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) dropped his bid for the speakership, House Republicans announced that Johnson — who finished second behind Emmer in the earlier vote — would be their next nominee.
Johnson held a press conference about his nomination on Tuesday night, and as he took questions, Scott tried to bring up Johnson’s involvement in former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The question was met with boos and jeering from Johnson’s colleagues while he refused to answer Scott. Loudest of all was Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), who shouted at Scott to “Shut up!”
As the encounter went viral in the media, Scott’s ABC colleagues defended the legitimacy of her questions:
Other journalists and news watchers chimed in too, backing Scott and demanding Johnson answer for his record:
