When a child gets in trouble, most assume it stems from a problem in parenting. But Speaker Johnson proves that’s not always the truth.
If you haven’t heard, Johnson and his wife pretty much adopted a troubled teen in 1999 after meeting him through a Christian ministry when the boy was 16 and became homeless. The Johnsons filed to be his legal guardian at the time and have raised Michael Tirrell James, now 40, as one of their own.
You might think this means James has since walked the straight and narrow.
But as was made known this week, his life has been littered with mishaps. In fact, on Wednesday, James faced a Los Angeles court in relation to multiple drug charges, including an illegal marijuana business and possession of brass knuckles, according to Radar Online.
Naturally, this has given critics of Johnson and his Christian walk plenty to talk about and supposedly accuse him of – as if they did nothing beyond feed and put a roof over young James’ head. Of course, they also wasted little time in comparing James to the troubled son of President Joe Biden.
But as James recently told the press, he has nothing but good things to say about the Johnsons. And unlike Hunter, James is taking responsibility for his actions.
As the New York Post reported, since 2003, James has been arrested over a dozen times, from weapons violations to drug possession. He’s even served a couple of small stints in jail.
But as James told Newsweek the Daily Mail, he’d be so much worse off without the Johnsons.
“I always felt loved like I was a part of their family. 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.”
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
He added, “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 be very different today. I would probably be in prison or I might not have made it at all.”
James might not be perfect. But at least he’s not lining his pockets with Johnson’s money or using their position to get cushy jobs…
