Wisconsin Comrades Set to Welcome Donald Trump, Whitewash Russian Attempts to Influence Elections

MADISON, Wis. — Top Wisconsin Republicans U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Gov. Scott Walker have announced they will be standing with Donald Trump on stage this evening as he visits Wisconsin. With their recent statements, Trump’s Wisconsin GOP comrades also have his back when it comes to downplaying rising concerns about alleged Russian sponsored cyber attacks and media disinformation campaign designed to influence the U.S. Presidential election.

“You would have hoped that patriotism would trump blind partisanship and Wisconsin’s top Republicans would take allegations of Russian interference in our elections seriously,” said One Wisconsin Now Deputy Director Mike Browne. “But what we’ve gotten so far is a classic Washington D.C. non-answer answer from Speaker Ryan, trademark stalling from Sen. Johnson and an inane equivalency from Gov. Walker.”

According to reports from the U.S. intelligence community, there is growing evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election, using information gained through cyber attacks on Democrats to tip the election to Trump. Bipartisan momentum has been growing to get to the bottom of what happened.

In response, the longtime politician Ryan conducted a master class in Washington D.C. doublespeak, issuing a statement that talked tough about outside interference in elections, but offered no commitment to action from the Speaker of the House of Representatives to find the truth or hold those responsible accountable.

Johnson, who has oft touted his role as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee as being of critical importance, refused to commit to investigating the allegations. Instead Johnson deferred to Trump, the potential beneficiary of Russian hacking, commenting he will “give him and his administration time to figure out what, quite honestly, is a difficult situation.”

Gov. Scott Walker tops his fellow Badger state Republicans with the sheer ridiculousness of his “But, Scotland” defense of the allegations Trump benefitted from Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Walker, when asked about the two incidents not even in the same solar system of seriousness, told reporters, “Conversely you had the leader of Scotland endorsing Hillary Clinton, and I don’t think leaders from other countries one way or the other, whether it’s for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or any other candidate — I think it’s best left to Americans to make those decisions.”

Browne concluded, “These allegations of Russian attempts to influence our elections are incredibly serious. It’s time for action, not delay or distractions and certainly not blaming Scotland.”

One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.