House GOP leadership faced a public revolt Tuesday as Rep. Elise Stefanik accused Speaker Mike Johnson of conspiring with Democrats to strip a key intelligence oversight provision from the annual defense budget.
In a blistering social media barrage, Stefanik claimed Johnson is letting himself get “rolled” by the opposition to shield the “deep state,” specifically citing resistance from Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin.
The disputed amendment would compel the FBI to inform Congress whenever law enforcement initiates an investigation into a federal candidate—a direct response to Republican grievances regarding the 2016 probe into Donald Trump’s campaign.
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Stefanik, a member of Johnson’s own leadership team who is departing soon to run for New York governor, declared the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) “DOA” without her language attached.
With Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna joining the boycott and Johnson holding a razor-thin majority that can spare only two defections, the bill’s passage is now in jeopardy.
Johnson dismissed the attacks as “false,” expressing confusion over why Stefanik took the dispute public rather than calling him.
He told reporters the provision was removed due to procedural disagreements between committee chairs, not his intervention, and insisted he still supports the measure’s intent. Stefanik rejected the explanation, firing back on X: “Just more lies from the Speaker.”
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