Posted on 05/23/2021 2:08:06 AM PDT by RandFan
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) suggested on Wednesday that the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was not an insurrection but a largely "peaceful protest."
"Even calling it an insurrection, it wasn't," Johnson said during an appearance on Fox News's "Ingraham Angle." "You know, I condemned the breach. I condemned the violence, but to say there were thousands of armed insurrectionists breaching the Capitol intent on overthrowing the government is just simply false narrative."
Johnson said he has spoken to some of his constituents in Wisconsin that were present at a "Stop the Steal" rally on the National Mall and at the U.S. Capitol that day.
"By and large, it was peaceful protest, except for there were a number of people, basically agitators that whipped the crowd and breached the Capitol. That's really the truth of what's happening here," Johnson said.
Videos taken at the Capitol that day show hundreds of pro-Trump protesters storming the complex as a joint session of Congress met inside to certify President Joe Biden's Electoral College victory.
Several rioters were seen violently attacking members of Capitol Police and journalists covering the event. The family of Capitol Police Officer Howie Liebengood, who died by suicide after the attack, signaled their support this week for a commission to investigate the attack.
“Every officer who worked that day, as well as their families, should have a better understanding of what happened," the family said. "Uncovering the facts will help our nation heal and may lessen the lingering emotional bitterness that has divided our country. We implore Congress to work as one and establish the proposed Commission."
The House passed a bill on Wednesday to establish a Jan. 6 commission after a deal was brokered by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and ranking member John Katko (R-N.Y.). The bill would need 10 Republican votes in the Senate in order to overcome procedural hurdles.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said this week he does not support a "slanted" commission, while Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has vowed to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
Johnson on Tuesday said he does not support a Jan. 6 commission and called the effort to create one "a farce."
"I hope no Republicans in the House vote for this," Johnson said. "I hope nobody in the Senate embraces it either."
Ultimately, the bill passed the House on Wednesday evening, garnering 35 Republican votes.
All House Democrats and 10 Republicans voted in favor of impeaching former President Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 violence. Trump was acquitted in a Senate trial, though seven Republicans in that chamber voted to convict.
In February, Johnson also defended the pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6.
"The group of people that supported Trump, the hundreds of thousands of people who attended those Trump rallies, those are the people that love this country," Johnson said. "They never would have done what happened on Jan. 6. That is a group of people that love freedom; that’s a group of people we need to unify and keep on our side."
The senator from Wisconsin stirred similar controversy weeks after the attack when he said he did not feel threatened by the pro-Trump protesters but might have if they were Black Lives Matter activists.
I wish Ron Johnson was running for re-election. I'm guessing all the truth telling from him lately is because he is not running again which is a shame :(
The Bolsheviks will want this commission to take the Klieg lights off this inept administration’s antics.
A top example of a ”non sequitur” - ie an inference that does not follow from the premises.
Portland, Minneapolis and other cities with riots were considered peaceful and still going on, why is Washington different?
This Commission for this BS Jan 6 is a LIE.
This is all about 2 things PERIOD:
1) To try and stop any future takeovers of the government by the Militia which is WHY we have the 2nd Amendment
and
2) To indict Trump again stating he started it with his speech to try and stop him from running for office again.
This biggest mistake of Jan 6th is that all Patriots were not armed and should have taken over the government!!!!!
I’m glad we’re getting at least some pushback. Too many pubs are stupidly parroting the rat line.
We didn't burn any buildings, loot or kill anyone!!! /s
He’s right and I’ve corrected everybody who calls Jan 6 anything but a “mostly peaceful protest”.
Certainly by how the corporate media defined that term, it was. It was a damn sight more peaceful than the violent riots that caused $2 billion in damages and left over 50 people dead that they insisted on calling “mostly peaceful protests” so goose....gander baby. Deal with it.
Soviet Show Trials for (largely peaceful, unarmed) Insurrection
Make more sense to blame his family now that we see they crave media attention
That’s quite a loaded headline and opening paragraph. Most of the people there never went into the Capitol. They are conflating the entire rally, which Ron Johnson was talking about, to the actual violence which was a very small percentage of the group participated in.
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