news

Representative Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement regarding his concerns with the American people’s growing distrust of government officials and institutions:

As a Member of Congress who had a military career prior to being elected, I’m deeply concerned with the American people’s understandably growing distrust of government officials, institutions, and the consequences such distrust could have to the future of our nation. 

In the military, character and credibility matter.  Soldiers place their trust in their commanders’ hands.  Often, it’s done so with life or death consequences.  When there is a problem it gets thoroughly investigated, reviewed, and corrected.  There are serious consequences for breaking rules.   But in Washington, it’s different.  The players may change, but too often money, influence, media coverage, and spin obstruct the truth and prevent justice from being served.  And the truth is there are serious answers that must be found, people that must be held to account, and corrective action taken at several federal agencies, not the least of which is the State Department, and how it was run under Secretary Hillary Clinton.

Recent days and months have produced an avalanche of serious accusations, charges, investigations and decisions made within the federal government - by unelected appointees - that the American people haven’t had sufficient visibility into.  In fact, many of our fellow Americans have come to believe that there are two sets of rules:  one for the powerful and well to do, and then one for everyone else.  This is not healthy for our republic.

That is why I’ll be calling on Congressional leadership to use its constitutionally granted oversight and investigation responsibilities in a significantly more authoritative and disciplined way.  Additionally, I urge Congressional leadership to form a joint, bi-cameral select committee to aggressively and thoroughly investigate Hillary Clinton’s actions during her tenure as Secretary of State.  Importantly, this select committee should be established regardless of the results of tomorrow’s Presidential election.

As representatives of the American people, it is the responsibility of Congress to see that any criminal activity within the federal government is rooted out, all perpetrators are held accountable, and confidence in the rule of law and in our federal government begin to be restored.

We’ve got a long way to go, and it’s important that this effort starts now.