Federal and state authorities are investigating an incident at Cypress Baptist Church. It involves suspicious mail containing a white powder the North Louisiana church received.
That should not be such a big deal except that the church is one House Speaker Mike Johnson attends. According to Johnson’s Washington office, Cypress Baptist Church in Benton received the package Monday.
Johnson spokesman Griffin Neal mentioned the incident in a statement he made afterward. He revealed that the House speaker was aware of the letter and thanked those who responded swiftly.
“Speaker Johnson and the Johnson family thank U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, the Louisiana State Police, and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office for taking swift action and handling the situation professionally,” Neal said.
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Authorities are yet to reveal who the letter was addressed to or what they believe the white powder to be. The FBI issued a statement that omitted the church’s name. However, the outfit said it was investigating a letter containing white power sent to an address on Benton’s Palmetto Road, where the church is located.
The FBI statement said a field test on the substance was negative. However, more testing is to happen because, according to the FBI, “even sending a hoax letter is a serious crime.” The agency declined to answer questions.
Neal’s statement said that Cypress Baptist is Johnson’s “home church.” KTBS-TV reported that Johnson’s wife, Kelly, who manages a counseling service called Onward Christian Counseling Services, has an office at the church.
Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04) became elected Speaker of the House on October 25, 2023. As a Congressman, Speaker Johnson represents the northwest and western regions of Louisiana.
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Before his election to Congress in 2016, Speaker Johnson was an attorney. He served in the Louisiana State Legislature from 2015 to 2017. The incident regarding the letter follows hotly on the heels of the House Speaker going religious during a presentation at a weekend GOP retreat.
It was billed as a map to keeping the House majority. But it took on a surprisingly religious tone, according to two people in the room. Johnson’s private remarks to the small group of Republican lawmakers at Miami’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel over the weekend alarmed both people, who addressed the speech on condition of anonymity.
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Rather than outlining a specific plan to hold and grow the majority, Johnson chose instead to deliver a sermon. The speaker contended that when a person lacks God in their life, the government or “state” will become their guide, referring back to Bible verses both people said. As far as they are concerned, the approach did not resonate among some in the room.
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