'Shut up!' Republicans boo reporter for asking Mike Johnson about role in Jan. 6

In a now-viral video, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) — the fourth speaker designate from the House Republican Conference since the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) — declined to answer a question about his refusal to certify the results of the 2020 election on January 6, 2021. Perhaps more alarmingly, his Republican colleagues booed the reporter who asked the question and even told her to "shut up."

"Mr. Johnson, you helped lead the efforts to overturn the 2020 election," the reporter said before being drowned out by the House Republican Conference's boos and jeers. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), who himself dropped out of the speaker's race after failing to capture 217 Republican votes, can be seen saying "next question."

"Shut up! Shut up!" Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) yelled at the reporter.

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According to NBC News, staffers for former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) on Tuesday circulated a New York Times article about Johnson's role as "the most important architect of the Electoral College objections." The article described Johnson as not only one of the 139 members of the House of Representatives who voted against certifying the results of the election, but as someone who created an argument that allowed Trump loyalists to cloak their objection to Biden's victory in legal pedantry.

"On the eve of the Jan. 6 votes, [Johnson] presented colleagues with what he called a 'third option.' He faulted the way some states had changed voting procedures during the pandemic, saying it was unconstitutional, without supporting the outlandish claims of Mr. Trump’s most vocal supporters," the article read. "His Republican critics called it a Trojan horse that allowed lawmakers to vote with the president while hiding behind a more defensible case."

Johnson's refusal to answer the reporter's question about his objection to the 2020 election, and his colleagues' shouting down of the question, prompted disgust from prominent journalists on X (formerly Twitter).

"This clip should haunt your dreams," USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke tweeted. "It's a political party gleefully hitting rock bottom without the slightest regard for democracy."

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"They're mad at the journalist for asking because they know the answer makes them look bad," tweeted Vanity Fair special correspondent Molly Jong-Fast.

"Boos and jeers don't make questions suddenly disappear," CBS News' Robert Costa said.

"Great time capsule stuff," tweeted Politico columnist Jonathan Martin.