Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is facing some heavy backlash after he used his time during the Senate hearing on the January 6 Capitol assault to read a conspiratorial blog post that blames “professional provocateurs” disguised as Trump supporters for the Jan. 6th insurrectionist attack on America’s capitol. Despite ample evidence to the contrary, Johnson encouraged his colleagues in the Senate to read the online article that claims the crowd was mostly peaceful until outside agitators began stirring things up and getting violent.
“Many of the marchers were families with small children; many were elderly, overweight, or just plain tired or frail — traits not typically attributed to the riot-prone,” Johnson said during the Senate hearing. However, as CNN notes, the blog post doesn’t match with the reality of the situation or statements from law enforcement officials.
None of Waller’s account jives with what we know about what happened on January 6. The FBI has said there is zero evidence that Antifa or any other group of leftist provocateurs had been part of the January 6 crowd — much less been the ones inciting violence. And the vast majority of people arrested identify with far-right groups like the Oathkeepers, not any groups on the extreme left.
After video of Johnson’s testimony hit social media, the Wisconsin senator was dragged for peddling wild, debunked conspiracy theories, which is exactly how the Capitol assault happened thanks to Trump’s “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was somehow “stolen.”
so a mob of fakers spent years carefully cultivating on and offline personas as Trump supporters and then violently stormed the Capitol just to make him look bad? way to commit to the bit you guys https://t.co/RLSzOnuxaN
— shauna (@goldengateblond) February 23, 2021
Again, @SenRonJohnson is a small step away from blaming Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and Hodag’s (have to be from WI to know this reference) for the act of sedition on January 6. Can somebody in his family look into his mental health please? Asking for a friend. https://t.co/m2wANF0OX8
— Mark Pocan (@MarkPocan) February 23, 2021
This is a real person, asking a real question, at a real hearing…
Ron Johnson: "What would make you think they were Trump supporters?" pic.twitter.com/8b2d9GLZy9
— YS (@NYinLA2121) February 23, 2021
Ron Johnson is obviously ANTIFA, posing as a nutcase Trump supporter to discredit Trump backers in Congress. It’s working! https://t.co/wGy4wCJCEN
— Al Franken (@alfranken) February 23, 2021
Let's cross-check @SenRonJohnson's debunked statement with those of Trump supporters now facing federal charges.
‘I Answered the Call of My President’: Rioters Say Trump Urged Them On https://t.co/ZEdGWl900X
— Denise Shearin 🌊 🗳 (@DeniseShearin) February 23, 2021
However, Johnson didn’t just catch flack on Twitter. Senator Amy Klobuchar took a moment to blast Johnson by stating, “There is clear agreement that this was a planned insurrection, and I think most members here very firmly agree with that.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) closes out the Capitol insurrection hearing with what appears to be a nod to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI):
“There is clear agreement that this was a planned insurrection, and I think *most* members here very firmly agree with that.” pic.twitter.com/dyfeBCBcvZ
— The Recount (@therecount) February 23, 2021