Michigan Lawmaker Removed From Committees, Citing ‘Threats’ in Video

Michigan state Rep. Cynthia Johnson during the Dec. 2 election hearing. NTD

Michigan state Rep. Cynthia Johnson, a Democrat, has been stripped of her committee assignments and is under investigation after issuing a “warning” to “Trumpers,” according to the Michigan House Speaker’s office.

Johnson was the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, the panel that heard testimony last week from witnesses alleging election fraud and intimidation. On her Facebook page on Dec. 8, after claiming that people were making threats to her, Johnson told her supporters to make “things right and in order,” and warned President Donald Trump’s supporters to “be careful” and “walk lightly.”

“We ain’t playing with you,” Johnson then stated. “And for those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it. Do it right. Be in order. Make them pay.”

Johnson posted another video on Dec. 9, saying she meant “soldiers” for Jesus Christ to “rise” against racism. The lawmaker also said on CNN that she had received threatening voicemails saying she will be “swinging from a rope.”

House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth, who are both Republicans, said in a statement on Dec. 9 that “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.”

Chatfield added that “threats to either Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American.” The speaker also cited reported threats to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, both Democrats, as unacceptable.

Johnson had faced criticism from Trump’s legal team last week when she asked a witness, Jessy Jacob, about her “real name.”

Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis highlighted a clip from the hearing in which Johnson, who represents part of Detroit, asked election worker Jessy Jacob what her “real name” is. Jacob replied that her last name changed after she got married. Johnson then asked for the spelling of her maiden name. It was the only question she asked.

“How do you know these witnesses are telling the truth about Democrat intimidation? Because you’re witnessing Michigan LEGISLATORS openly intimidating them on the floor of this committee, on national television,” Ellis wrote on Twitter on Dec. 2.

Ellis claimed that in that interaction with Jacob, Johnson was “[trying] to intimidate and publicly dox a witness on national television simply because she doesn’t like the witness’s testimony.”

Jacob, who appeared to have an Indian accent and wore a mask, alleged that she was told by election workers in Detroit’s TCF Center to backdate ballots on Election Day. She described the behavior as fraudulent and corrupt.

Also in the Michigan hearing, Johnson also interrupted and tried to argue with another witness before committee Chairman Matt Hall, a Republican, overruled Johnson.

Rep. Johnson’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly said Chatfield overruled Johnson. This has been corrected, and The Epoch Times regrets the error.