Maroc - RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 09/Sep 20:16

Mike Johnson just said something that 'will unnerve many moderates': reporter

House Speaker Mike Johnson is apparently plowing ahead with a showdown over voting legislation that could result in a government shutdown ahead of the 2024 presidential election.As reported by Fox News' Chad Pergram, Johnson said on Monday that he is determined to pass a measure that would demand proof of citizenship as a prerequisite to voting, despite the fact that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote and despite the fact that instances of noncitizens voting is incredibly rare.Pergram asked what Johnson would do if he couldn't make this come to pass and he replied, "There is no fallback position. This is a righteous fight."However, even if Johnson passes the measure through the House, it is dead on arrival in the Democratic-led United States Senate.ALSO READ: 'Minor distortion': Writer gets close-up look at Trump's shot ear during Mar-a-Lago visitWhat's more, attaching such a measure to must-pass government funding bills means that there will potentially be a government shutdown next month if the GOP-led House of Representatives insists on trying to bend the Senate and the Biden White House to its will.Because of this, Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman predicts Johnson's statement "will unnerve many, many, many moderates" who are in tough races and do not want to be held responsible by voters for a government shutdown.Complicating matters, former President Donald Trump has flat-out said that shutting down the government should be done if the Senate does not pass the legislation.