During a press conference on the Hill on Tuesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson blasted California Governor Gavin Newsom for his response to the anti-ICE riots in LA.
“Do you believe Newsom should face consequences in a legal way?” one reporter asked Johnson, citing Newsom’s war of words with border czar Tom Homan.
“I’m not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested, but he ought to be tarred and feathered,” Johnson told reporters.
“He’s standing in the way of the administration and the carrying out of federal law. He is applauding the bad guys and standing in the way of the good guys. He’s an accomplice in our federal law enforcement agents being not just disrespected but assaulted — this is a serious problem,” Johnson added.
Johnson continued: “The governor is now filing a lawsuit against the president — what a joke! Do your job, man — that’s what I tell Gavin Newsom. Do your job. Stop working on your rebranding and be a governor.”
Watch the clip below:
"He ought to be tarred and feathered." — House Speaker Mike Johnson
During a House Republican press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned California Governor Gavin Newsom over his handling of the protests in Los Angeles. https://t.co/fHZZ2cWh65 pic.twitter.com/MSOWWpsHSG
— ABC News (@ABC) June 10, 2025
Newsom replied to Johnson on X, saying, “Good to know we’re skipping the arrest and going straight for the 1700’s style forms of punishment. A fitting threat given the @GOP want to bring our country back to the 18th Century.”
Good to know we’re skipping the arrest and going straight for the 1700’s style forms of punishment.
A fitting threat given the @GOP want to bring our country back to the 18th Century. https://t.co/0Ck1Xk3IEL
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 10, 2025