MILWAUKEE (AP) – Ron Johnson, President of Wisconsin, is being racistly mentioned for an interview in which the white Republican said he was not worried about the predominantly white supporters of President Donald Trump during the deadly uprising at the Capitol, but that he possibly even if they were protesters of Black Lives Matter.
In an interview Thursday with a syndicated radio host Joe Pagliarulo, Johnson said of those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 to try to stop Congress from ratifying President Joe Biden’s election victory: ‘I knew it was people who loved this country, who truly respected law enforcement, never would do anything to violate the law, so I was not worried. ”
“If the tables were turned, and Joe – it’s going to get me in trouble – the tables would be turned and President Trump won the election and tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa, I might have been a little worried,” Johnson said. referring to left-wing protesters, known as anti-fascists, who resisted the neo-Nazis and white supremacists during the protests and other occasions.
Five people died during the assault on the Capitol, including a police officer, and 140 officers were injured. The uprising also caused great damage and led to the troops of the National Guard being called in to restore order. More than 300 Trump supporters was charged with storming the building, including members of extremist groups.
Johnson’s remarks angered Wisconsin Democrats, including Sen. LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee.
“For him to say something racist like that – it’s ridiculous,” said the state senator, who is black. ‘This is a completely racist remark and the insult to injury is that he does not mind saying it in the position he holds, because for some reason it is only considered acceptable behavior for people living in this state. live and be elected. ‘
Ron Johnson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he made the remark because many of the protests last summer over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis became violent and caused great damage to property. The unrest in the days after the man was handcuffed on May 25 while in police custody caused major damage in cities across the country – estimated at $ 500 million in the Minneapolis-St. Paul neighborhood alone.
“That’s why I would have been more concerned,” Johnson said in a statement.
Democrats who want to put him on the two-term senator next year quickly summoned him.
‘Ron Johnson is a racist and is unfit to serve the people of Wisconsin. No context is missing here. “He knew what he was saying, he knew he should not say it, but that’s who he is,” said Milwaukee Bucks CEO Alex Lasry.
Tom Nelson, the CEO of Outagamie County, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination, said Johnson had reached a new despicable low point with his comments.