Criticism is growing against U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) after comments he made on a conservative talk-radio show with syndicated host Joe Pagliarulo about the Jan. 6 Capitol violence, WISN.com reported.
In part, Johnson said, "I'm also criticized because I made the comment that on Jan. 6, I never felt threatened, because I didn't. … I knew those people [the Capitol rioters]that love this country, that truly respect law enforcementwould never do anything to break a law, so I wasn't concerned. So had the tables been turnedand, Joe, this is going to get me in troublehad the tables been turned and President Trump had won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned."
Five people died during the assault on the Capitol, including a police officer, and 140 officers were injured.
According to a Minneapolis Public Radio item, Johnson's comments sparked outrage among Wisconsin Democrats, including state Sen. LaTonya Johnson, of Milwaukee. "For him to say something as racist as thatit's ridiculous," said the state senator, who is Black.
Johnson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he made the comment because many of the protests last summer over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis turned violent and caused widespread property damage.