Rick Johnson (Michigan politician)

Not to be confused with Rick Johnson (Canadian politician).
Rick Johnson
Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office
January 10, 2001 – December 31, 2004
Preceded byCharles R. Perricone
Succeeded byCraig DeRoche
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 102nd district
In office
January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2004
Preceded byJohn Gernaat
Succeeded byDarwin L. Booher
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJanice
Children2

Rick Johnson is a Michigan politician who served in the House of Representatives for the 102nd District from 1999 to 2004, and as Speaker of the House from 2001 to 2004.[1] He was chairman of the Michigan medical marijuana licensing board from 2017 to 2019. In 2023, he pled guilty to receiving bribes during his time on the licensing board.

Born in LeRoy, Osceola County, Johnson was an honors graduate of Pine River High School. He served as an Osceola County commissioner for eight years from 1986 to 1994, including five as chairman of the board, and on the Pine River School Board for six years from 1980 to 1986. Johnson was vice chairman of the Region VII Planning Commission and the District VII director of the Michigan Farm Bureau, serving as a state board member from 1994 to 1998. He was also owner and operator of the family dairy and tree farm, on the board of the Rose Lake Youth Camp, and is active in the Osceola County Community Foundation. As a former state House speaker, Johnson is a permanent member of the National Speakers Conference Executive Committee.[2][3]

He is a partner in the firm Dodak Johnson with fellow former Speaker Lew Dodak.

In 2015, Johnson signed an amicus brief asking the United States Supreme Court to make same-sex marriage legal nationwide.[4]

On April 6, 2023, the FBI and U.S. Attorney's office announced that a plea agreement had been made with Johnson and three others as part of a medical marijuana bribery scheme. Marijuana company owners stated they had paid Johnson over $110,000 in cash and services for licensing approval.[5]

  1. ^ "Journal of the House of Representatives: No. 1 (January 10, 2001)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  2. ^ "Michigan Manual 2003-2004: State Representative Rick Johnson" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  3. ^ "Truscott Rossman Online Lobbyist Directory: Rick Johnson (Dodak Johnson & Associates LLC)". Archived from the original on 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2013-03-17.
  4. ^ "GOP Politicians Call for Supreme Court to OK Gay Marriage". 6 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Ex-Michigan House speaker, 3 others plead guilty in marijuana bribery probe". mlive. 2023-04-06. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2023-04-06.