Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) does not have a bank account.
At least, that’s what Johnson reports on years of personal financial disclosures, which date back to 2016 and reveal a financial life that, in the context of his role as a congressman and now speaker, appears extraordinarily precarious.
Over the course of seven years, Johnson has never reported a checking or savings account in his name, nor in the name of his wife or any of his children, disclosures show. In fact, he doesn’t appear to have money stashed in any investments, with his latest filing—covering 2022—showing no assets whatsoever.
Of course, it’s unlikely Johnson doesn’t actually have a bank account. What’s more likely is Johnson lives paycheck to paycheck—so much so that he doesn’t have enough money in his bank account to trigger the checking account disclosure rules for members of Congress.
The rules cover all “interest-bearing, cash-deposit accounts at banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations,” including checking, savings, and money market accounts, along with certificates of deposit and individual retirement funds, or IRAs. (Johnson reported receiving a $10,485.53 distribution from a New York Life IRA in 2017, his first year in office, possibly from a retirement account he had listed the previous year.)
It’s certainly not uncommon for Americans to have less than $5,000 in their bank account. Most Americans—57 percent—couldn’t handle an unexpected $1,000 expense, according to a report earlier this year. And the median amount that Americans keep in their bank account is $5,300. But Johnson’s household income puts him in the top 12 percent of earners in the United States. And it’s extraordinarily rare for members of Congress to not list a qualifying bank account—let alone zero assets whatsoever.
So what yer saying is all these politicians submit financial disclosure statements but nobody fucking scrutinizes them until a journalist does some legwork years later?
Mother won’t allow him to have one.
Probably has more to do with religion. Sign of the beast or some such crazy belief.
“Jeebus and Glenn Beck only want us to own gold”
Have they looked under the name “Mikhail Ivanovich”?
Dude is at Walmart on fridays cashing his check and getting his stack of cash. How does he pay for his house or apartment? His car? His bill?
Almost like no one vetted this guy at all because he was never thought of as a candidate for speaker.
Could he have set up a non-profit religious organization 503(c)(3) with he and his wife as officers? His salary could be donated directly. The entity would have obvious tax benefits at the state and Federal level IF it’s legal to do something like what I am suggesting.
Tax people or lawyers, tell me where I’m wrong.
Sure he does… where else is he going to keep all of his Rubles?
Yeah, something weird is going on. Even if he and his wife are spending every dime they make, the direct deposit from his position in Congress alone would put a checking account beyond the thousand dollar limit. Also, we’re supposed to believe that there’s no 529 or UTMA account for his kids? That stretches belief. While there might be nothing untoward going on (not holding my breath on that one, though), as speaker he owes the American people an explanation. We’re unlikely to get one, however, after all the House drama. The Republicans will circle the wagons to protect him.
I’m assuming the Lord provides all his asset management needs.
Now that he’s the Speaker of the House, something tells me that he’s suddenly not going to be struggling financially. Just a guess.
The bank accounts are all in the name of his mysterious, privacy-obsessed black “son.”
He shares a bank account with his mother, and that tells you all you need to know.
Now the question is, is he actually living paycheck to paycheck or is he hiding all his money in an offshore account or one of his “religious” organizations. My money is on that he’s hiding it.
The checking account is in the name of his church. That way they can insure they get their 10% cut.
His wife’s boyfriend looks after the money.
Since he’s a religious weirdo, he might believe that banks are the devil and he has cash stuffed in his mattress.
Yeah, it’s illegal to “knowingly” take money from a foreign entity.
That’s why the GOP got together with Russian Oligarchs, and made a complex web of PACs and LLCs so that guys like Mike Johnson could get paid by Russian Oligarchs, Organized Crime, and the Russian foreign intelligence and military intelligence agencies.
And when it’s found out; (like, “oops, American Ethane is actually a front for actual Russian agents”; all the GOP has to do is say “I didn’t know that”, and they have to return the money. If nobody finds out, they get to keep the money. At worst, you end up with a situation like American Ethane, that had to pay a $9500 fine. (that’s the court, saying: “It’s fine, for a hostile foreign power to bribe our politicians”).
Wouldn’t not having a bank account and assets of note be a red flag for the person third in line for the Presidency? Doesn’t that make him susceptible to corruption?
Some jobs do credit checks when you apply, if they find out you’re too fucking poor they don’t want you anywhere near their assets because you’ll probably steal from them.
How can he have a security clearance without documenting his cash flow? How can he be Speaker without a security clearance?
These kinds of financial oddities would be a huge flag if he was trying to work for any intelligence agency. It’s no exaggeration to say this shit would prevent him from even mopping floors at NSA or working the Starbucks at CIA headquarters. However, as Speaker of the House he has access to some of the most highly classified information in the government.
I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt; I expect this is some sort of tax dodge, probably involving religion and/or funneling from conservative donors. The problem (besides tax fraud) is, even if you’re not a foreign asset, financial shenanigans make you vulnerable to exploitation by state actors.
Republicans if Mike Johnson doesn’t have a bank account: He has a healthy mistrust of the US banking system.
Republicans if Biden didn’t have a bank account: HuNteR BiDeN is PaYiNg SleEPy Joe An AlLowAnce WiTh FoReIgn MonEy!!!
I mean, he is at minimum unqualified to work on a *national budget*. Fucken clown car over there.
The ex-husband lost his security clearance in Navy due to his debt to income ratio (largely based on his student loans, go figure). He was an e-5 and because it couldn’t be resolved in the time frame the military wanted, had to switch job designations. I guarantee he didn’t see or even have access to any state secrets on the level that Mike Fucking Johnson does. Make it make sense that Mikey has even less scrutinty and real accountablilty than an e-5 struggling to pay off his student loans.
jail please, thanks.
This is very strange, as a matter of fact everything about him is strange and creepy, from him not having bank accounts to his adopted not seen black son. And don’t get me started on his shitty beliefs and him being the architect of the insurrectionist, election denier. Ohhhh boy we’re in trouble!
Does he *have* a bank account? (Rip Chandler)
The idea of being ‘un-banked’ has some traction in the anachronistic weirdo circles this guy lives in, but as a House rep, the idea that he doesn’t have a bank account is pretty outlandish.
**Off Shore Banking Entities**
He isn’t paying his mortgage with cash. He isn’t receiving his federal salary in cash. And he ain’t keeping his cash under his mattress. So how then?
He’s doing business with and wiring money around from an entity that isn’t located in the United States.
This dude is shelling hard. 🔎
> Over the course of seven years, Johnson has never reported a checking or savings account in his name, nor in the name of his wife or any of his children, disclosures show.
No, no, no! Don’t worry. It’s all OK. This is all a big misunderstanding! Everything’s in his *secret black son’s* name! It wasn’t disclosed, because, you know, all his racist supporters would be horrified to learn that he has *a secret black son.* Don’t you all feel silly now? It was the secret black son this whole time!…
30 comments
Here is the beginning of our exclusive story:
Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) does not have a bank account.
At least, that’s what Johnson reports on years of personal financial disclosures, which date back to 2016 and reveal a financial life that, in the context of his role as a congressman and now speaker, appears extraordinarily precarious.
Over the course of seven years, Johnson has never reported a checking or savings account in his name, nor in the name of his wife or any of his children, disclosures show. In fact, he doesn’t appear to have money stashed in any investments, with his latest filing—covering 2022—showing no assets whatsoever.
Of course, it’s unlikely Johnson doesn’t actually have a bank account. What’s more likely is Johnson lives paycheck to paycheck—so much so that he doesn’t have enough money in his bank account to trigger the checking account disclosure rules for members of Congress.
The rules cover all “interest-bearing, cash-deposit accounts at banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations,” including checking, savings, and money market accounts, along with certificates of deposit and individual retirement funds, or IRAs. (Johnson reported receiving a $10,485.53 distribution from a New York Life IRA in 2017, his first year in office, possibly from a retirement account he had listed the previous year.)
It’s certainly not uncommon for Americans to have less than $5,000 in their bank account. Most Americans—57 percent—couldn’t handle an unexpected $1,000 expense, according to a report earlier this year. And the median amount that Americans keep in their bank account is $5,300. But Johnson’s household income puts him in the top 12 percent of earners in the United States. And it’s extraordinarily rare for members of Congress to not list a qualifying bank account—let alone zero assets whatsoever.
So what yer saying is all these politicians submit financial disclosure statements but nobody fucking scrutinizes them until a journalist does some legwork years later?
Mother won’t allow him to have one.
Probably has more to do with religion. Sign of the beast or some such crazy belief.
“Jeebus and Glenn Beck only want us to own gold”
Have they looked under the name “Mikhail Ivanovich”?
Dude is at Walmart on fridays cashing his check and getting his stack of cash. How does he pay for his house or apartment? His car? His bill?
Almost like no one vetted this guy at all because he was never thought of as a candidate for speaker.
Could he have set up a non-profit religious organization 503(c)(3) with he and his wife as officers? His salary could be donated directly. The entity would have obvious tax benefits at the state and Federal level IF it’s legal to do something like what I am suggesting.
Tax people or lawyers, tell me where I’m wrong.
Sure he does… where else is he going to keep all of his Rubles?
Yeah, something weird is going on. Even if he and his wife are spending every dime they make, the direct deposit from his position in Congress alone would put a checking account beyond the thousand dollar limit. Also, we’re supposed to believe that there’s no 529 or UTMA account for his kids? That stretches belief. While there might be nothing untoward going on (not holding my breath on that one, though), as speaker he owes the American people an explanation. We’re unlikely to get one, however, after all the House drama. The Republicans will circle the wagons to protect him.
I’m assuming the Lord provides all his asset management needs.
Now that he’s the Speaker of the House, something tells me that he’s suddenly not going to be struggling financially. Just a guess.
The bank accounts are all in the name of his mysterious, privacy-obsessed black “son.”
He shares a bank account with his mother, and that tells you all you need to know.
Now the question is, is he actually living paycheck to paycheck or is he hiding all his money in an offshore account or one of his “religious” organizations. My money is on that he’s hiding it.
The checking account is in the name of his church. That way they can insure they get their 10% cut.
His wife’s boyfriend looks after the money.
Since he’s a religious weirdo, he might believe that banks are the devil and he has cash stuffed in his mattress.
Yeah, it’s illegal to “knowingly” take money from a foreign entity.
That’s why the GOP got together with Russian Oligarchs, and made a complex web of PACs and LLCs so that guys like Mike Johnson could get paid by Russian Oligarchs, Organized Crime, and the Russian foreign intelligence and military intelligence agencies.
And when it’s found out; (like, “oops, American Ethane is actually a front for actual Russian agents”; all the GOP has to do is say “I didn’t know that”, and they have to return the money. If nobody finds out, they get to keep the money. At worst, you end up with a situation like American Ethane, that had to pay a $9500 fine. (that’s the court, saying: “It’s fine, for a hostile foreign power to bribe our politicians”).
Wouldn’t not having a bank account and assets of note be a red flag for the person third in line for the Presidency? Doesn’t that make him susceptible to corruption?
Some jobs do credit checks when you apply, if they find out you’re too fucking poor they don’t want you anywhere near their assets because you’ll probably steal from them.
How can he have a security clearance without documenting his cash flow? How can he be Speaker without a security clearance?
EDIT: I just found out [Congress people don’t need Security Clearances](https://rollcall.com/2021/01/12/when-it-comes-to-security-clearances-rules-for-others-dont-apply-to-congress).
These kinds of financial oddities would be a huge flag if he was trying to work for any intelligence agency. It’s no exaggeration to say this shit would prevent him from even mopping floors at NSA or working the Starbucks at CIA headquarters. However, as Speaker of the House he has access to some of the most highly classified information in the government.
I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt; I expect this is some sort of tax dodge, probably involving religion and/or funneling from conservative donors. The problem (besides tax fraud) is, even if you’re not a foreign asset, financial shenanigans make you vulnerable to exploitation by state actors.
Republicans if Mike Johnson doesn’t have a bank account: He has a healthy mistrust of the US banking system.
Republicans if Biden didn’t have a bank account: HuNteR BiDeN is PaYiNg SleEPy Joe An AlLowAnce WiTh FoReIgn MonEy!!!
I mean, he is at minimum unqualified to work on a *national budget*. Fucken clown car over there.
The ex-husband lost his security clearance in Navy due to his debt to income ratio (largely based on his student loans, go figure). He was an e-5 and because it couldn’t be resolved in the time frame the military wanted, had to switch job designations. I guarantee he didn’t see or even have access to any state secrets on the level that Mike Fucking Johnson does. Make it make sense that Mikey has even less scrutinty and real accountablilty than an e-5 struggling to pay off his student loans.
jail please, thanks.
This is very strange, as a matter of fact everything about him is strange and creepy, from him not having bank accounts to his adopted not seen black son. And don’t get me started on his shitty beliefs and him being the architect of the insurrectionist, election denier. Ohhhh boy we’re in trouble!
Does he *have* a bank account? (Rip Chandler)
The idea of being ‘un-banked’ has some traction in the anachronistic weirdo circles this guy lives in, but as a House rep, the idea that he doesn’t have a bank account is pretty outlandish.
**Off Shore Banking Entities**
He isn’t paying his mortgage with cash. He isn’t receiving his federal salary in cash. And he ain’t keeping his cash under his mattress. So how then?
He’s doing business with and wiring money around from an entity that isn’t located in the United States.
This dude is shelling hard. 🔎
> Over the course of seven years, Johnson has never reported a checking or savings account in his name, nor in the name of his wife or any of his children, disclosures show.
No, no, no! Don’t worry. It’s all OK. This is all a big misunderstanding! Everything’s in his *secret black son’s* name! It wasn’t disclosed, because, you know, all his racist supporters would be horrified to learn that he has *a secret black son.* Don’t you all feel silly now? It was the secret black son this whole time!…