Due to?
KC
I was referring to the Speech or Debate clause,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_or_Debate_Clause :
The Speech or Debate Clause is a clause in the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1). The clause states that members of both Houses of Congress
...shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their attendance at the Session of their Respective Houses, and in going to and from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
The intended purpose is to prevent a President or other officials of the executive branch from having members arrested on a pretext to prevent them from voting a certain way or otherwise taking actions with which the President might disagree.
A similar clause in many state constitutions protects members of state legislatures in the United States. ...
While this clause protects, specifically, from
criminal actions, there is a corresponding Federal law protecting members from civil lawsuits arising from speeches and comments during legislative duties.
So, depending on MI's constitution and laws, Johnson's comments may be protected from defamation lawsuits.
I would have thought all this quite obvious, but I guess not.