Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.
DemocratU.S. Representative, GA-4| Age | 71 (b. 1954-10-02) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2007-01-04 (~19 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | African American |
| Religion | Buddhist (Soka Gakkai International / Nichiren Buddhism) |
| Education | B.A., Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University), 1976; J.D., Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, 1979 |
| Prior occupation | Criminal defense attorney (approx. 27 years in private practice in Decatur, Georgia); associate magistrate judge, DeKalb County (1989-2001) |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Washington, D.C. |
| Marital status | Married — Mereda Davis Johnson |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Lithonia / DeKalb County, Georgia |
| Notable relatives | Wife Mereda Davis Johnson is a DeKalb County, Georgia Commissioner (District 5) and Presiding Officer of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2006 |
| Previous offices | Associate magistrate judge, DeKalb County, Georgia (1989-2001) · Member, DeKalb County, Georgia Board of Commissioners (2001-2006) |
| Committees | House Committee on the Judiciary (Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet) · House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure |
| Caucuses | Congressional Progressive Caucus · Congressional Black Caucus · Congressional Freethought Caucus · Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus |
| Leadership | Ranking Member, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet |
| Ideology | Liberal-leaning Democrat; GovTrack places him among the more liberal members of the House based on bill sponsorship/cosponsorship ideology analysis; member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus |
| Signature legislation | Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act (SMLEA) - incorporated into the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act · Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act / Arbitration Fairness Act · Cybersecurity Opportunity Act (H.R. 5593, 117th Congress, enacted) · SHOP SAFE Act · Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (H.R. 6196, 116th Congress, enacted) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $30,002–$100,000 (2018) · estimate
| DeKalb County, GA (government pension / retirement) | other · $30,002–$100,000 · 2018 |
Top donors: Cox Enterprises ($10,090) · Delta Air Lines ($10,080) · Allied Pilots Assn ($10,000) · American Federation of State/County/Municipal Employees (AFSCME) ($10,000) · Air Line Pilots Assn ($10,000)
Top industries: Building trades unions · Air transport unions · Democratic/Liberal · Cable distributors & service providers · Lobbyists & Public Relations
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — FEC Administrative Fine — Late 2010 Pre-Primary Campaign Finance Report business
The Committee to Re-elect Henry Hank Johnson (FEC ID: C00418293), Johnson's principal campaign committee, was assessed an administrative fine of $4,562 by the FEC for a violation related to the 2010 Pre-Primary campaign finance report — consistent with FEC administrative fine program cases involving late or non-filed periodic reports. The penalty was upheld and paid in full.
resolved — Arrest at Black Voters Matter Voting Rights Protest
Rep. Johnson was among 10 demonstrators arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on July 22, 2021, outside the Hart Senate Office Building during a Black Voters Matter Fund civil disobedience action advocating for voting rights legislation and filibuster reform. He was charged with 'crowding, obstructing or incommoding,' paid a $50 fine, and was released. House rules required the Ethics Committee to publicly address the arrest; on July 30, 2021, the Committee issued H.Rept. 117-112 declining to open an investigation and closing the matter.
resolved — Arrest for Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding at 2021 voting rights protest
On July 22, 2021, Rep. Hank Johnson was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police outside the Hart Senate Office Building during an act of civil disobedience protesting Senate inaction on voting rights legislation and the filibuster. He was among 10 demonstrators charged with 'Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding,' a District of Columbia misdemeanor. Johnson informed the House Ethics Committee that he paid a $50 fine prior to his release. On July 30, 2021, the House Committee on Ethics issued Report H. Rept. 117-112 stating it had voted against impaneling an investigative subcommittee, determined that review was not required, took no further action, and considered the matter closed.