Rep. Mike Johnson told The New York Times he never supported false claims of mass voter fraud.
But in past interviews, he touted "credible allegations of fraud" and "rigged" voting machines.
Johnson gave the GOP a defense for rejecting the 2020 election that doesn't rely on extreme allegations.
A Louisiana congressman who's responsible for one of Republicans' go-to defenses for denying the legitimacy of the 2020 election said he never supported claims of mass voter fraud, according to The New York Times.
In an interview with the newspaper, Rep. Mike Johnson claimed that he never backed some of the more extreme allegations of voter fraud that were frequently touted by former President Donald Trump, including claims of illegal votes or a rigged election.
"I never egged on any of that," Johnson told the newspaper. "I never was in that other camp, anytime, ever."
"I was like a lone wolf crying in the wilderness: 'Guys, you don't have to worry about any of that,'" he said in the interview. "'They violated the Constitution!'"
But Johnson previously stated on a conservative talk radio show that there were "credible allegations of fraud and regularity." The Times also reported that Johnson said he believed there was "a lot of merit" to claims that voting machines have been "rigged."
The lawmaker became a key figure after he presented Republicans with a more lawyerly defense for casting doubt on the 2020 election vote without having to lean into Trump's more extreme claims or...
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