March 28, 2024

Sen. Ron Johnson: If Trump Had Won And BLM Or Antifa Had Stormed Capitol, ‘I Might Have Been A Little Concerned’

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Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson suggested that “had the tables been turned” and former President Donald Trump had won reelection, a hypothetical storming of the U.S. Capitol by Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa would have caused him to be “a little concerned.”

Johnson has come under fire from MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and others for downplaying the Capitol riot and calling it a “pitiful armed insurrection.”

“I’ve also been criticized because I made the comment on January 6, I never felt threatened, because I didn’t,” the Wisconsin Republican told radio host Joe Pags on “The Joe Pags Show” Thursday. “Even though those thousands of people were marching on the Capitol were trying to pressure people like me to vote the way they wanted me to vote, I knew those were people that love this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break the law, so I wasn’t concerned.”

“Now, had the tables been turned — Joe, this could get me in trouble — had the tables been turned and President Trump won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned,” he continued.

Supporters of US President Donald Trump clash with the US Capitol police during a riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. - Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held January 6 to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN / AFP) (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump clash with the US Capitol police during a riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN / AFP) (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

An FBI counterterrorism official told Johnson at a Senate Homeland Security hearing earlier this month that no firearms were confiscated from rioters on U.S. Capitol grounds on January 6, although police did confiscate a weapon and Molotov cocktails from a van that was found near the building.

At least five people died during the riot, including one Capitol police officer, but the only weapons discharge that occurred was the shooting of Ashli Babbit by police.

In a statement obtained by The Hill, Johnson pointed out last summer’s violence from the left across many of America’s major cities sparked by the death of George Floyd.

“Out of 7,750 protests last summer associated with BLM and Antifa, 570 turned into violent riots that killed 25 people and caused $1- $2 billion of property damage,” the statement read. “That’s why I would have been more concerned.” (RELATED: FBI Director Christopher Wray Refuses To Disclose Brian Sicknick’s Cause Of Death)

The Wisconsin senator’s comments were called “racist and unacceptable” in a Friday statement by Jessica Floyd, president of American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super PAC.

“There is nothing patriotic about storming the Capitol to attempt to overturn an election and murder elected officials,” Floyd said in the statement. “Apparently for Ron Johnson, simply being Black is a bigger offense than launching a violent insurrection. Ron Johnson is an embarrassment to the United States Senate and the state of Wisconsin. He needs to resign immediately.”

This post originally appeared on and written by:
Scott Morefield
The Daily Caller 2021-03-13 15:20:00

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