Shock as Speaker Johnson's Son Heads to Court - Lengthy Rap Sheet Stretching Back to 2003
Pro-lifers are often accused of being all talk and no action when it comes to helping kids after they are born.
But new House Speaker Mike Johnson doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk — even when the result isn’t a storybook ending.
Michael Tirrell James is the informally adopted son of Johnson and his wife Kelly. On Wednesday, James made an appearance in a Los Angeles court to face charges related to an illegal marijuana business and the possession of brass knuckles, Radar Online reported.
James, now 40, met the Johnsons through their Christian ministry as a teenager. When he became homeless, the Johnsons took him in. They filed paperwork to become his legal guardians in 1999 when he was 16.
The Johnsons also have four biological children.
Although James was never formally adopted by the Johnsons, the couple helped him get his life back on track. He referred to them as his parents, and they considered him their son, a source told the Daily Mail.
However, when James left the Johnsons’ home as a young adult, things quickly took a turn for the worse.
Starting in 2003, he was arrested over a dozen times on charges including drug possession, theft, weapons violations, and violating a protective order. He served two brief stints in jail, according to the New York Post.
On Wednesday, James’ latest charges were diverted and will be dropped in 12 months if he completes community service.
After Johnson’s election as speaker, some critics accused him of excluding James from the family or even fabricating his existence.
Johnson’s office explained to Newsweek that it was James’ choice not to be in the public eye. Johnson said he respects James’ wishes for privacy and maintains a “close relationship” with him.
In a statement to the Mail, James spoke highly of the Johnsons and acknowledged the sacrifices they had made for him.
“I always felt loved like I was a part of their family,” he said. “They have been there for me when I have been lost and in the deepest valleys, and I know it was hard at times to constantly help someone who didn’t always get it right.
“I thank God all the time for giving them both the strength, patience, and unwavering faith that inspired me to do better and be better. I respect, love, and admire them both.”
“If the Johnsons hadn’t taken me in as a teenager, my life would look very different today. I would probably be in prison or I might not have made it at all,” James added.
Johnson told the Mail that “God intended for Michael to be a part of our lives.”
“Kelly and I have always seen him as one of our own. Despite any mistakes he’s made, we love Michael and are blessed to have him in our family,” the speaker said.
Mike Johnson’s adopted son says he’s thankful to the House Speaker’s family after his troubled past is revealed https://t.co/uFsjOUuM9A pic.twitter.com/RA8dzaPoIq
— New York Post (@nypost) November 3, 2023
A young couple taking in a troubled, homeless teenager is an act of selflessness that shows a commitment to living out the faith.
Although the left will try to draw some kind of equivalency between James and Hunter Biden, their stories couldn’t be more different.
James was in his teens when he was taken in by the Johnsons. He had had years of the wrong upbringing, and that is hard to overcome. He also hasn’t used Johnson’s political influence to get cushy jobs he isn’t qualified for and line the family’s pockets.
But the real difference between the two situations is that Johnson admits James’ faults and allows him to take responsibility for his actions, even when it means jail time.
The speaker’s faith in action and unassuming Christian love are proof that he is who he says he is, and that makes him all the more admirable.
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