Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger has criticized recent comments by Republican Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson as a rewriting of history. ‘
Last Thursday, Johnson said he would have been concerned during the January 6 Capitol uprising if the rioters were associated with Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa rather than with supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Speaking about the Trump-backed rebels, Johnson told Conservative podcaster Joe Pagliarulo: “I knew it was people who loved this country, that they really respected law enforcement, would never do anything to break a law,” and therefore I was not worried. “
In a Monday interview with CNN host Wolf Blitzer, Kinzinger said Johnson’s comments were a rewrite of history. ‘
“I do not know why people like Senator Johnson insist on going back and saying that it really is not such a big deal,” Kinzinger said. “It’s a rewrite of history that honestly will not smile well in the history of the time.”
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Kinzinger said he condemned both the January 6 uprising and the riots that coincided with the summer uprising in the races. However, he acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat them and that “insurgency” was a threat to democracy.
Asked if he considered Johnson’s comment “racial”, the Illinois representative said Johnson’s comment “has a racial connotation.”
“It’s just tribalism,” Kinzinger continued. “Everyone goes into their tribes and what the senator seems to be saying is, ‘You know, if it’s my tribe attacking the Capitol, I feel good about it.’
In a statement obtained by The cup last Saturday, Johnson defended his remark about BLM and Antifa protesters.
“Of the 7,750 protests this past summer related to BLM and Antifa, 570 turned into violent riots that killed 25 people and caused $ 1 – $ 2 billion in property damage. Therefore, I would have been more concerned,” Johnson said. said.
In a statement to Newsweek, Johnson’s communications director Ben Voelkel, said the legislature had repeatedly condemned the January 6 riots and those who committed them, including in the aforementioned Pagliarulo interview.
Johnson’s statements about the uprising have sparked notoriety and criticism as Congress continues to investigate the key players and failures in the riot.
On Feb. 15, Johnson said the incident “did not appear to me to be an armed uprising” due to the lack of guns. On February 23, Johnson said in a Senate speech that “false Trump supporters” and Antifa were present during the uprising.
Johnson dropped his claim on fake Trump supporters from an unverified article by security analyst J. Michael Waller. Johnson conceded that Waller’s assessment was “perhaps … flawed”, but he defended it in the interest of pursuing all possible explanations.
FBI Assistant Director Steven D’Antuono said there was “no indication” to support allegations that Antifa protesters took part in the uprising. Johnson himself said he did not believe Antifa or Black Lives Matter were behind the uprising. He also said white supremacist groups were involved in pre-planning the riot.
Despite Johnson’s allegations that the pro-Trump insurgents “truly respect law enforcement” and “would never do anything to break a law”, more than 300 were arrested and charged with violating numerous laws during the uprising on 6 January.
About 140 police officers were injured during the uprising, including one with a broken spine, a lost eye, lost fingers and some with brain damage.
Update (15/03/2020, 23:19): This article has been updated to include a statement from Johnson’s office.