Speaker Johnson goes after CBS moderators for 'shameless' fact-checking of JD Vance: 'Three against one'

House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate moderators for their "shameless" fact-checking of Sen. JD Vance, calling them out for having anti-conservative bias on "open display."

"It's just shameless," Johnson said during "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday. "Their bias, their disdain for any Republican candidate is just on open display. Everybody can see that… It was three against one and JD still won."

ABC DEBATE MODERATORS SPARK FURY FOR AGGRESSIVE FACT-CHECKING OF TRUMP, EASY TREATMENT ON HARRIS

Despite CBS announcing that it would not allow live fact-checking during the debate, moderator Margaret Brennan interjected to correct Vance after he suggested that illegal immigrants are overwhelming resources in Springfield, Ohio.

"Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected status," Brennan said.

When Vance tried to push back on the fact-check, Brennan and her co-moderator Norah O'Donnell attempted to speak over Vance, insisting that they had to move on to the next question.

CBS News anchors Norah O’Donnell (L) and Margaret Brennan moderate the debate between Republican vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the CBS Broadcast Center on October 1, 2024 in New York City.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check," Vance reminded them. "And since you are fact-checking me, I think it's important to say what's actually going on."

While explaining the process of obtaining legal status and tying it to a Harris-backed immigration policy, the moderators again spoke over Vance, thanking him for "describing the legal process" before they cut off his microphone as Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz attempted to argue with him.

"Senator, we have so much we have to get to, thank you so much for explaining the legal process," Brennan said before urging O'Donnell again to move on to the next question.

"The audience can't hear you because your mics are cut," she added when Vance continued to respond.

Johnson commended Vance for his performance as he went head-to-head against the Minnesota governor, praising him for shedding light on the Biden-Harris administration's "open" border policies. 

"The immigration policy is basically nonexistent," Johnson said. "They opened the border. They're allowing everyone in. They put out the welcome mat, and the catastrophe that this has been to our country in every metric of public policy, with the fentanyl poisonings of it being the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 49. The trafficking, the fact that JD pointed out so well, they have lost all of these children who came across the border." 

"If a Republican administration had done that, it's all you would see every day, but they try to bury it," he continued. 

"JD was so good last night because he brought answers, solutions. He talked about policies. He showed us his depth and he came across as just being very reasonable and likable. I just thought he was at his best. He did a great job."

CBS News announced last week that it would not allow its moderators to partake in any fact checking or correcting live in an effort to avoid the fury sparked by ABC News for its partisan handling of the first presidential debate between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Instead, the network offered viewers a QR code where their reporters are fact-checking the candidates’ remarks in real time on their website.

Fox News' Yael Halon contributed to this report.

Bailee Hill is an associate editor with Fox News Digital. Story ideas can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.