Sen. Johnson Says Trump Not Guilty
President shouldn’t be impeached, says Johnson, who won’t recuse himself despite his Ukraine involvement.
Ron Johnson
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, says the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump is damaging a future president’s ability to conduct foreign policy.
Johnson was interviewed Wednesday by WTMJ host Steve Scaffidi.
“There has been some real damage being done, and partly it is the ongoing dedication of the left to sabotage the administration,” Johnson said.
Johnson has been a staunch supporter of the president since a scandal broke in September over Trump’s phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
An intelligence community whistleblower complaint led to the revelation that Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate the family of former Vice President Joe Biden. Trump and his supporters, including Johnson, argue there was no quid pro quo offered.
On Monday, the Washington Post reported Johnson met with Ukrainian diplomat Andrii Telizhenko for at least 30 minutes in July. Telizhenko told the Post he and Johnson talked about an unsubstantiated claim that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election.
Johnson said despite his close involvement in Ukraine issues, he won’t recuse himself if there is a Senate impeachment trial. Johnson said the individuals who elected him deserve his voice and vote, according to the Associated Press.
Johnson also said he would be “happy” to provide his firsthand knowledge of events and conversations involving Ukraine to U.S. House members conducting the impeachment probe, according to the AP.
“It seems like the House is pretty dedicated, as they have been, ever since (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi took control, to bring down this president,” Johnson said. “I warned the electorate if you put Nancy Pelosi in charge of the House, it’s not going to be good governance. It’s going to be about investigation and impeachment. And that’s what is playing out here so there is probably a good possibility that is what will happen.”
On Monday, Pelosi announced in a letter to Democrats that the House would vote to formalize the procedures in the ongoing impeachment inquiry of Trump.
The resolution will outline the terms for public hearings, the disclosure of deposition transcripts, procedures to transfer evidence to the House Judiciary Committee and due process rights for Trump, according to NPR.
The resolution is expected to be released Wednesday, with a House vote Thursday.
Johnson has a unique role as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and a member of the Senate’s Ukraine Caucus. Johnson said he has visited Ukraine six times.
He said he has done everything he can to support the “courageous” people of Ukraine.
“These individuals want what we have,” Johnson said. “They want greater freedom. They would like a government with a whole lot less corruption. And so, I’ve been supportive and promoting support.”
Listen to the WPR report here.
Ron Johnson: Trump Has Not Done Anything Impeachable But Senate Trial Likely was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Impeachment of President Trump
- Op Ed: The Courage of Mitt Romney - Bill Kaplan - Feb 10th, 2020
- In Trump Acquittal, Wisconsin Legislators Divided - Robin Bravender and Ruth Conniff - Feb 6th, 2020
- Pocan: ‘A Cover-Up That Will Haunt our Democracy’ - U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan - Feb 5th, 2020
- Johnson Statement On Acquittal Votes - U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson - Feb 5th, 2020
- Johnson Votes to Conclude Impeachment Proceedings - U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson - Feb 3rd, 2020
- Call Bolton to Testify, Baldwin Urges - Erik Gunn - Jan 29th, 2020
- “Gut Check Time” For Senators, Baldwin Says - Shawn Johnson - Jan 28th, 2020
- Data Wonk: Measuring Republican Views on Impeachment - Bruce Thompson - Jan 2nd, 2020
- Data Wonk: Rep. Sensenbrenner’s Disappointing Column - Bruce Thompson - Dec 26th, 2019
- Pocan: ‘A Vote That Sets the Precedent for All Future Presidents’ - U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan - Dec 18th, 2019
Read more about Impeachment of President Trump here
Yea, I know, RonJohn’s eyes,…… OMG so dreamy!!! …….but I hope that one day (soon) working class people wake up and realize what the GOP has become, i.e., the Greedy Oligarch Party. (I also wish that anyone flying a Trump 2020 flag would be consistent in their thinking and also fly the Russian flag with the aforementioned Trump flag. If they haven’t realized at this point that Trump and other Greedy Oligarchic Party members are somehow compromised by Russia they sure are thick in their thinking).
Sen. Johnson has become an embarrassment to our state and to the nation. Anyone this clueless should not be in office. Time to vote him out–or will he also be charged for being ‘party to a crime?’