Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is coming clean to finally admit that his company benefited from 2017 GOP tax law changes that he aggressively pushed.
In Friday remarks first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday, Johnson said, “Did my business benefit [under the 2017 GOP tax law]? Sure! Did some of my donors’ businesses? Sure!”
Last August, ProPublica reporting shed light on Johnson’s lobbying efforts to change the law to benefit his biggest campaign backers — an effort Johnson has since defended.
But these new remarks constitute the most definitive admission to-date that Johnson and his own company benefited from the tax law changes he advocated for — a direct confirmation of prior reporting (and contemporaneous 2017 speculation) to that effect.
And, importantly, as television anchors across Wisconsin have noted, Johnson’s admission “affirms a line of attack being made against him in his reelection bid.”
That line of attack was further bolstered by Johnson on Friday once again confirming that he has “doubled” his “wealth” since joining the Senate in 2011: “that’s true.” Johnson previously complained in February that he’s “only doubled” his net worth since joining Congress.
What Wisconsinites are reading and seeing about Johnson’s latest GOP tax law admission:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson says his Oshkosh firm and many others benefited from 2017 business tax cut he championed
Associated Press: Johnson acknowledges his company, others benefited from law
WLUK-TV (FOX Green Bay): “Johnson admits his… company benefited from a key provision in the tax law…”
WQOW-TV (ABC Eau Claire): “Johnson told backers at a recent event… that his company benefited from a key provision he pushed for in President Trump’s tax bill in 2017. That affirms a line of attack being made against him in his reelection bid.”
WJFW-TV (NBC Rhinelander-Wausau): “His plastics company benefited from a key provision he pushed for in President Donald Trump’s tax bill in 2017, affirming a line of attack being made against him in his reelection bid.”
WSAW-TV (CBS Wausau): “Ron Johnson now admits he did benefit from a tax provision in former President Donald Trump’s tax bill…”
You may recall these related headlines from August:
Associated Press: Report: Johnson pushed for tax break benefitting megadonors
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson defends pass-through tax provision as Democrats accuse him of doing the bidding of his top donors
And here’s what else Johnson has been up to over the past 18 months, as his favorability rating has plummeted:
Washington Post: Sen. Ron Johnson says Obamacare should be repealed if GOP wins power back
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sen. Ron Johnson backs outsourcing, says it’s better to have products made ‘dirt cheap’ overseas
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ‘It’s not like we don’t have enough jobs here in Wisconsin’: Ron Johnson won’t try to land Oshkosh Corp. postal vehicle work
RawStory: LISTEN: GOP’s Ron Johnson complains that he’s ‘only’ doubled his net worth since taking office
WKOW-TV: ‘I’m happy to defend this’: Johnson stands by opposition to child care aid
Heartland Signal: Ron Johnson: Social Security is a Ponzi scheme (2021 Edition)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin is a yes, Ron Johnson a no on $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package
Wisconsin State Journal: Sen. Ron Johnson pledges to set up roadblocks for $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill
CNN: GOP Sen. Ron Johnson mouths to GOP luncheon that climate change is ‘bullsh*t’
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: Multimillionaire U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson paid a mere $2,105 in state income taxes in 2017, despite making big bucks
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ‘You are not a horse. You are not a cow’: FDA issues blunt warning on taking ivermectin, drug promoted by Ron Johnson to treat COVID-19
CNN: Ron Johnson said last fall that undermining the Covid vaccine “will cause people’s deaths.” Now he spreads anti-vaccine misinformation
Published: Apr 12, 2022 | Last Modified: Apr 18, 2022