At a screening of a new documentary on the January 6 Capitol riot, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) delivered a narrative that attempted to rewrite the history of the insurrection, stoking controversy and drawing attention to his assertions.
According to a report by Raw Story on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, the Wisconsin Republican, who had recently faced criticism from his state’s governor, Tony Evers, for his involvement leading up to the insurrection, addressed the audience at the Capitol screening of “The Real Story of Jan. 6 Part 2: The Long Road Home,” a production by the Epoch Times, known for its right-wing conspiracies.
Johnson’s statements sought to revise the understanding of the events that transpired on January 6, insinuating that the Democrats’ control of power had a hand in framing the history of the insurrection.
“We always say, ‘To the victor go the spoils,'” Johnson remarked. “The victor writes the history, and unfortunately, in November 2020, Democrats had the full sweep. They had all the levers of power, and they wrote the history of Jan. 6.”
However, his claims appeared misleading. While Democrats secured control of the House and the presidency in November 2020, they officially assumed these positions later, with Congress members taking office on January 3, and President Joe Biden’s inauguration occurring on January 20, two weeks after the Capitol breach by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, aimed at delaying the certification of Biden’s election win.
Johnson’s assertions continued as he disputed the portrayal of the insurrectionists as armed or dangerous, stating, “I was never afraid on Jan. 6.”
This assertion contradicts documented evidence, which includes court filings and video footage revealing rioters brandishing firearms during the siege.
Also, reports detailed the possession of weapons like knives, bats, and the storing of firearms by groups like the right-wing Oath Keepers in a nearby Virginia hotel.
Attempting to characterize the insurrectionists as patriotic, Johnson claimed familiarity with many of the attendees, associating them with individuals he observed at Trump rallies.
“The people I saw attending Trump rallies and I knew the vast majority of people that came to Jan. 6 were patriots,” he asserted.
Johnson as well downplayed the injuries suffered by law enforcement during the attack, despite official reports listing around 140 officers injured and the subsequent deaths of officers, some by suicide.
His statements minimized the toll on law enforcement, a narrative that contradicts established facts surrounding the physical and psychological harm experienced by those protecting the Capitol that day.
