Her. Ron Johnson
Ronald (Ron) Harold Johnson Ashcroft refuses run to replace Blunt in Missouri Senate GOP faces retirement Brain drain Wave of Senate retirements puts GOP ranks on defense MORE (R-Wis.) Said in an interview this week that he did not feel unsafe during the January 6 riot at the Capitol, but perhaps if Black Lives Matter protesters and far-left ‘antifa’ activists had demonstrated there, causing a new wave of criticism.
“I’ve also been criticized for making the comment on January 6 – I never felt threatened because I didn’t,” Johnson said Thursday on “The Joe Pags Show,” referring to the uprising that tried unsuccessfully to stop the certification. put. of the results of the electoral college.
Although those thousands of people who marched on the Capitol tried to pressure people like me to vote the way they wanted me to vote, I knew these were people who love this country, who really respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break the law, so I wasn’t worried, ”he continued.
So if the tables were turned, Joe, this could be in trouble. If the roles were reversed and President Trump
Donald Trump Pentagon Takes Heat For Extending Guard’s Time As Capitol Fundraising Spits At Trump-GOP Rifts Trump Rally Organizer Claims Alex Jones Threatened To Throw Her Off Stage: MORE Report won the election and that was tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters, I was perhaps a little worried. “
Johnson’s comments contradicted the video in which pro-Trump rioters attacked police officers guarding the Capitol complex before the crowd raided law enforcement and searched the building.
At least five people died in the riot, including a police officer. Two other officers who responded to the crowd died of suicide in the following days, and about 140 officers were injured.
The statement echoed other comments Republicans had made when they tried to equate the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 with the Black Lives Matter protests that took place over the summer. While many of the demonstrations against the police killings of black Americans remained peaceful, some turned into looting and violence.
Johnson’s latest comments sparked a wave of accusations, with critics calling his equality between the different groups racist.
Senator Johnson’s comments are racist and unacceptable. There’s nothing patriotic about storming the Capitol to try to reverse an election and kill elected officials. Apparently, for Ron Johnson, simply being black is a bigger offense than launching a violent uprising. Ron Johnson embarrasses the United States Senate and the state of Wisconsin. He must resign immediately, ”Jessica Floyd, president of the 21st Century Democratic super PAC American Bridge, said in a statement Friday.
“What, whites like this country and black people don’t? That’s exactly what he’s saying,” Senator LaTonya Johnson (D), who is black, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Johnson responded to the criticism by pointing to the violence that resulted from some protests last summer.
“Of the 7,750 protests in connection with BLM and Antifa last summer, 570 turned into violent riots that killed 25 people and caused $ 1 to $ 2 billion in property damage. That’s why I would have been more concerned, ”Johnson said in a statement obtained by The Hill.
The senator appeared to be quoting data from a report released by the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project in September. That report, which identified thousands of protests between May and August, found that more than 90 percent of the demonstrations were nonviolent.
“More than 10,100 of these – or nearly 95% – involve peaceful protesters. Less than 570 – or about 5% – involve demonstrators guilty of violence,” the report said.
The criticism comes as Johnson considers running for re-election in 2022. He remains undecided, although he said last week that retiring “is probably my preference now.” His seat is expected to be heavily contested thereafter President Biden
Joe BidenPentagon takes charge of extending Guard’s time at Capitol Booker to try to make child tax credit expansion permanent Sullivan says tariffs won’t be at the center of talks with China MORE Wisconsin narrowly won in November.
Updated: 8:55 am