As 45th and 46th presidents of the United States squared off in the first debate of 2024 presidential general election season, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-GA) used his official congressional social media to broadcast his MAGA support.
"An objective truth that cannot be denied: Only one of the men on the stage tonight is qualified and capable of being elected President in 2024. It is the biggest mismatch in the history of presidential debates. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain," wrote Johnson on his congressional X account on June 27 with a photo of himself exiting a plane alongside former President Donald Trump.
Screen grab of social media post from Speaker Mike Johnson's official congressional X account
The since-deleted post appeared to violate the House Committee on Ethics' policies prohibiting the use of official resources for campaigning or political purposes, ethics experts tell Raw Story.
The policy prevents the use of congressional office equipment and supplies, along with congressional staff time, for campaign activities, including making statements.
"Those rules are in place, not just to make sure that taxpayer funds aren't used in an inappropriately partisan way, but also to make sure that that government officials don't create the impression that their access to government and their access to government services is going to be limited because they are a member of a particular party or no party at all," Donald Sherman, executive vice president and chief counsel for ethics watchdog, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told Raw Story.
Tom Rust, staff director and chief counsel for the House Committee on Ethics, said “no comment," when contacted by Raw Story.
The next day, Johnson's campaign page, published a nearly identical post about the CNN debate that ultimately turned up the pressure on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.
"An objective truth that cannot be denied: Only one of the men on the stage last night is qualified and capable of being elected President in 2024. It was the biggest mismatch in the history of presidential debates. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain," said the X post on June 28.
Johnson's congressional office and campaign did not respond to Raw Story's requests for comment.
Sherman said the prompt removal of the congressional post supporting Trump is important, and such mistakes can occur when staffers are managing both congressional and campaign social media accounts.
"It's long since been established that taxpayer funds should not be used for partisan electoral politics in that way," Sherman said. "You want people who are, for example, seeking constituent services from their elected representatives to feel like they're going to get service ... whether they are a Republican or a Democrat."
Johnson has been a vocal and traveling supporter for Trump, from attending his trial in New York where he was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, to speaking at the Republican National Convention earlier this month.
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