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☆ House Speaker Mike Johnson partnered with anti-gay conversion therapy group before he became a politician
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Andrew Kaczynski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Speaker of the House Mike Johnson closely collaborated with a group in the mid-to-late 2000s that promoted “conversion therapy,” a discredited practice that asserted it could change the sexual orientation of gay and lesbian individuals. Founded in 1976, Exodus International was a leader in the so-called “ex-gay” movement, which aimed to make gay individuals straight through conversion therapy programs using religious and counseling methods. Exodus International connected ministries across the world using these controversial approaches. At the time, Johnson worked as an attorney for the socially conservative legal advocacy group, Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). The Day of Truth sought to counter that silence by distributing information about what Johnson described as the “dangerous” gay lifestyle.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, ”, Exodus, Truth, ” Johnson, “, God, ” Wayne Besen, ” Randy Scobey, Scobey, ” Scobey Organizations: CNN, International, Alliance Defense Fund, ADF, Lesbian Straight Education Network, Louisiana Republican, ADF’s, Exodus, Alliance Defense, Alliance Defending Locations: Louisiana, Roman, Rome

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before House Speaker Mike Johnson was elected to public office, he was the dean of a small Baptist law school that didn't exist. “The law school deal was really an anomaly. As dean of the proposed law school, Johnson embarked on a major fundraising campaign and described a big-dollar event in Houston with former Arkansas Gov. Bobby Jindal and Pressler, according to an account Johnson wrote in a 2011 alumni magazine. Meanwhile, the historic former federal courthouse in Shreveport that was selected as the law school’s campus required at least $20 million in renovations.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, It's, “, ”, Gene Mills, Johnson's, ” J, Michael Johnson, Southern Baptist Convention luminary, Tony Perkins, Jerry Falwell, “ I’m, Joe Aguillard, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Aguillard, “ Mike, Gilbert Little, ” Johnson, Perkins, Little, Barack, Kelly, Kelly Johnson, Louis “ Woody ” Jenkins, Jenkins, Democrat Mary Landrieu, Moon Griffin, Eugene Mills, Mills, ” Mills, Johnson’s, George W, Bush’s, it’s, Lamar White Jr, Lamar, Richard Lardner, Trenton Daniel Organizations: WASHINGTON, Paul Pressler School of Law, Louisiana College, Louisiana Christian University, Republican House, Southern Baptist Convention, Family Research, Southern Poverty Law, Liberty University, Daily, ”, Arkansas Gov, Louisiana Gov, Freedom Guard, Southern Baptist Conference, Shreveport Times, ABC News, Louisiana State University, Democrat, Louisiana Family, Alliance Defense Fund, Alliance Defending, ADF, CNN, Democratic, Civil, Associated Press Locations: Louisiana, Washington, Alexandria , Louisiana, Houston, Pressler, Africa, Shreveport, Shreveport , Louisiana, everyone’s, America, New Orleans, Texas, Orleans Parish, Trump’s, Baton Rouge, New York

☆ Mike Johnson symbolizes a new turn for the religious right
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | Analysis Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

CNN —The arc of Rep. Mike Johnson’s career encapsulates the shifting priorities of the religious right in the era of Donald Trump. More than half of White evangelicals agreed with that statement as well – the only major religious denomination in which it found majority support. Yet both groups are much more influential inside the GOP coalition, with evangelicals representing nearly one-third of Republican voters and all White Christians about two-thirds. But in Congress, Johnson has also identified more with some of the party’s Trump-era priorities that revolve around demographic change. But each man appears equally committed to a vision of America that elevates the moral and political preferences of conservative White Christians over any other group.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s, Donald Trump, Barack Obama’s, Johnson, MAGA, Long, Trump’s, Trump, Robert P, Jones, Johnson “, ”, Mike Podhorzer, ” Podhorzer, Jimmy Carter, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, James Dobson, ” Jones, Dobson, CNN’s KFile, KFile, he’s, Ron DeSantis, Marjorie Taylor, it’s, ” Johnson, He’s, “, Biden, who’s, PRRI, there’s, Tresa Undem, Undem, White, George W, Bush, Obama, Pete Wehner, Wehner, David Barton, Barton, that’s, ” Wehner, ‘, ” Barton Organizations: CNN, Louisiana Republican, Republican, GOP, Yorker, Trump, Survey, Religion Research Institute, White, AFL, CIO, Republicans, Representatives, Alliance Defense Fund, Defending, Gov, Georgia Rep, Whites, Trinity Forum, ”, NBC News, Trump - Locations: Louisiana, America, White, “, Florida, Mexico

☆ New House Speaker Mike Johnson once wrote that homosexuality will lead to 'chaos and sexual anarchy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected to be the speaker of the House on Wednesday. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementNewly-elected speaker of the House , Mike Johnson, has a history of making anti-LGBTQ+ statements, once going so far as saying homosexuality was a "dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy." AdvertisementAdvertisement"If everyone does what is right in his own eyes, chaos and sexual anarchy will result," he wrote. While working for the ADF, Johnson wrote an amicus brief , first published by CNN, opposing a US Supreme Court decision, Lawrence v. Texas , which struck down state laws that criminalized consenting same-sex relationships in 2003.

Persons: Mike Johnson of, —, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Lawrence, Louisiana's, Hodges, — Johnson, Joe Biden's Organizations: CNN, Service, The Times, Alliance Defense Fund, Alliance Defending, Southern Poverty Law Center, ADF, Lawrence v . Texas, Associated Press, Freedom Guard Locations: Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Shreveport , Louisiana, Lawrence v ., Louisiana, Obergefell

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at NATO for Wednesday's meetings with alliance defense ministers to further drum up support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. There are air defense systems. NATO allies and partner countries will be waiting to hear precisely what kinds of military equipment Kyiv needs. Following that meeting, the 31 allies and Ukraine will take part in the first NATO-Ukraine Council at this level. A key demand has been more air defense systems and munitions.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “, Zelenskyy, Lloyd Austin, ”, Austin Organizations: —, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, . Defense, U.S, AIM, High Mobility Artillery, Pentagon Locations: BRUSSELS, — Ukraine, U.S, Ukraine, Brussels, Kyiv, Israel, russia, ukraine

☆ Germany is finally focusing on defending NATO, but its military 'lacks almost everything' it needs to do it, a former German general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

That's the warning from a former German general who argues that Germany must refurbish its badly neglected armed forces — though this will take years to accomplish. Today, the German military is just 183,000-strong, and it can't meet its recruiting goals. In 2020, German defense spending was only 1.4% of GDP, well short of 2% goal that NATO members have pledged to hit by 2024. "Armament procurement concentrated on armored transport vehicles rather than on battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles," Vad writes. RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite years of calls by France for pan-European defense, coordinating German defense procurement with other EU states — each with distinct military needs and political priorities – is difficult.

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