In case you missed this on Friday:
A Wisconsin congressman called for federal investigators to look into whether Sen. Ron Johnson committed a crime in the way he handled a slate of fake presidential electors for Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
Rep. Ron Kind, a La Crosse Democrat who covers much of western Wisconsin, said he doesn't believe Johnson's account of what he did before then-Vice President Mike Pence certified President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
The House committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol revealed text messages Tuesday showing Johnson's Chief of Staff, Sean Riley, texted Pence's legislative director that Johnson "needed to hand" something to Pence.
The Pence aide asked what it was, Riley said it was an "alternate" slate of presidential electors for Wisconsin and Michigan. Chris Hodgson simply replied, "do not give that to him."
Johnson at first told reporters he "had no hand" in the exchange but has since changed his story. The Oshkosh Republican told a conservative radio host Thursday he connected Riley with Jim Troupis, a Wisconsin lawyer who represented Trump in his unsuccessful bid to throw out thousands of Dane and Milwaukee County votes in 2020.
"It said 'Need to get a document on 'Wisconsin electors' to you and the VP immediately. Is there a staff person I can talk to immediately? Thanks, Jim,'" Johnson recalled of the message he received. "So, again, need to get a document on Wisconsin electors."
And Kind is calling bull shit:
"Listen, I've listened to Senator Johnson's denial and explanation for all this, and either he is lying, or he is the most incompetent member of Congress," Kind said. "That he would allow information to go to the vice president without his knowledge of what it was and the gravity of what it was."
knowledge to avoid serious charges that might bar him from holding elected office. He also called for an investigation into what Johnson knew.
"I can see why he's trying to wiggle out and deny his involvement," Kind added. "Because there is a federal law that would prohibit anyone holding office to seek re-election if they were directly involved in an insurrection, or an attempt to overthrow the government of the United States... This, I think, will have to be a matter for the Department of Justice to take a really hard look at, and decide whether to pursue these charges against Ron Johnson."
By the way, this also happened:
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson was escorted by police to an emergency stairwell in Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport late Friday morning after a self-described progressive political strategist confronted him about his effort to give former Vice President Mike Pence false elector paperwork ahead of the certification of the 2020 election.
Lauren Windsor, a liberal activist known for her hidden camera exposés targeting Republicans, began videotaping Johnson after he got off a plane from Washington, D.C.
She asked the Oshkosh Republican to respond to his statements from Thursday in which Johnson claimed the false elector paperwork his office offered a Pence aide came from Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly — an allegation Kelly's office denied. Johnson on Thursday also said he communicated with Wisconsin attorney Jim Troupis about delivering the false elector paperwork to Pence.
“First of all, we’ll see what actually transpired," Johnson told Windsor, referring to Kelly's rebuke. "Obviously, we believe it came from his office. I never spoke with the congressman. I never said I did.”
He added: "He’s gotta find out with his staff who might’ve talked to my staff. That’s all I have to say.”
Windsor referenced Johnson's chief of staff's text messages to a Pence aide on Jan. 6, 2021, that indicated Johnson wanted to hand Pence slates of false electors from Wisconsin and Michigan moments before Congress met to certify Joe Biden's win. Johnson previously said he was "basically unaware" of the exchange.
"So you’re saying that your chief of staff normally acts in this way that they would not make you aware?" Windsor asked Johnson, who was surrounded by four officers after the pair exited the plane in Milwaukee.
“We believe he talked to somebody in Mike Kelly’s office," Johnson responded.
When Windsor tells Johnson he was "playing a role in the overturning of our election," Johnson responded: "I played a two-minute role," before then saying, "I did not. Please go away."
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