Mike Johnson slams Biden for giving presidential award to J6 panel: 'Utter embarrassment'

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday slammed President Joe Biden for awarding the Presidential Citizens Medal to former House January 6 committee leaders Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson.

The medal is the second-highest civilian award, and is given to those who have "performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens." Other recipients of this year's medals include: Mary Bonauto, who argued for marriage equality in the Obergefell case, and former Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Ted Kaufman of Delaware.

Johnson berated Biden for giving the honor to someone who "intentionally and repeatedly lied to the public," and claimed the actions were a "complete joke and utter embarrassment." 

"The Jan 6 Select Committee manipulated AND destroyed evidence - created a fake, phony narrative all to try and hurt Trump," Johnson said in a post on X. "They even hired a TV producer from the legacy media in a desperate attempt to legitimize what Americans knew was a total hoax and complete waste of time. 

"Be assured of this: House Republicans WILL continue our investigation into this corrupt committee and it will be FULLY FUNDED so it can continue next Congress," he added.

Fellow Wyoming Republican and Sen. John Barrasso on Thursday also slammed Biden for giving Cheney the honor, speculating that he would give Cheney either a pardon or an award, and that did not deserve either one.

"[Cheney] represents partisanship and divisiveness — not Wyoming," Barrasso said, per Politico.

The announcer who presented Cheney with her medal said it was awarded because she allegedly put "the American people over party." She accepted the award on Thursday night to a standing ovation in the East Room of the White House, The Hill reported.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.