Ron Johnson makes a mistake by accidentally telling the truth

[babylonsister]

Ron Johnson makes a mistake by accidentally telling the truth
Ron Johnson admitted this week his investigation into Joe Biden would advance the president's political interests - which isn't what he was supposed to say
Aug. 14, 2020, 10:49 AM EDT
By Steve Benen


Right around the time Joe Biden started winning Democratic presidential primaries, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) started gearing up to use the Senate Homeland Security Committee to investigate Biden-related conspiracy theories touted by the Trump White House.

At issue are bizarre claims about the former vice president, Ukraine, and a Burisma controversy that doesn't appear to exist outside the Republican fever swamp. Indeed, as the Washington Post's Greg Sargent explained in a great piece several months ago, Johnson, among other Republicans, was entirely on board with Joe Biden's reform efforts in Ukraine in 2016. It's why, four years later, it's difficult to see the senator's renewed interest in the matter as sincere.

On the contrary, by all appearances, Johnson appears to be using the Homeland Security Committee he chairs as some kind of political action committee -- to the point that the Wisconsin Republican has even been accused of serving as a vessel for Kremlin-backed propaganda intended to undermine Biden's candidacy.

As the election draws closer, the pressure on Johnson is clearly increasing. Democrats are characterizing the GOP senator as some kind of useful idiot for Moscow; the U.S. intelligence community is issuing warnings about a Ukrainian official who claims to have fed information to Johnson's committee; and conservative media figures seem annoyed that Johnson hasn't used his position to help Donald Trump's campaign even more.

It was against this backdrop that Johnson admitted this week his election-season investigation would advance the president's political interests. As Politico noted, this immediately ignited fury from Democrats "who say it was an explicit admission he's using his committee to damage Joe Biden's candidacy for president.'

"The more that we expose of the corruption of the transition process between Obama and Trump, the more we expose of the corruption within those agencies, I would think it would certainly help Donald Trump win re-election and certainly be pretty good, I would say, evidence about not voting for Vice President Biden," Johnson said in a little-noticed Tuesday interview with Minneapolis-based radio hosts Jon Justice and Drew Lee.

more...

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/ron-johnson-makes-mistake-accidentally-telling-truth-n1236746

[lapfog_1]

1. It's only a mistake if he pays a price

for admitting the truth.

so far, the "let's be fascist out in the open" strategy of the Trump dictatorship hasn't cost them anything.

[gratuitous]

3. Indeed

Republicans have been caught time and again using the levers of government for partisan political purposes, whether it was to make sure that Obama was a one-term president or to deliberately hurt Hillary Clinton's campaign. When confronted, they just shrug it off because they can be pretty safe in thinking that nothing will come of it. But Bill Clinton has a chance meeting with Loretta Lynch, and we never hear the end of it. Or Donna Brazile mentions to Hillary Clinton that during the debate in Flint that a question about the city's undrinkable water might come up, and it's like the Russians stealing the "secret" of the A-bomb.

[Mike 03]

2. "the pressure on Johnson is clearly increasing"

Here's a fun and easy way to increase the pressure on this reprehensible tool and jackass.

https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-the-senator

Unlike with our congressional reps, you don't have to live in a particular district or state to email any senator.

[MissMillie]

4. Using tax-payer money to advance Trump's political interest

um... yup. Sounds like the GOP

[Wellstone ruled]

5. My take is,

Johnson will face SEC action next year with his sale of and Receipts of funds from a Fraudulent deal involving his interest in a family owned Plastics business.

Sounds like the value was inflated by 200% in a effort to enrich Johnson himself.