Johnson staff knew Tomah smear campaign based on a “total lie”

The AP has just reported that Sen.  Johnson’s staff knew that the central claim in the Koch-backed $2 million smear campaign against Russ is a “total lie.”

As the AP reports:

The union official who wrote that memo, Lin Ellinghuysen, told The Associated Press in an email that it is a “total lie” that Feingold received the memo when he was in the Senate.

“It is sad to see those who know better stand by and let false ads like this run in Wisconsin,” she said in an email, adding that she told Johnson’s committee in 2015 that Feingold never got the memo.

“Senator Johnson’s staff knows these ads and their allegations are untrue,” she said.

Johnson, when asked about the ad earlier this month, said he has not politicized the issue. But he did not call on the independent group supporting him to take the ad down.

With the latest revelation that Sen. Johnson allowed $2 million in false ads to run on his behalf, Wisconsinites deserve to know the answers to two questions from him on Tuesday:

1)   Will you admit that you knowingly concealed evidence that allowed $2 million in blatantly false super PAC advertising run on your behalf; OR

2)   Will you blame your staff again?

“Negligence at the Tomah VA has been a tragedy for Wisconsin’s veterans and their families. Wisconsin’s veterans deserve real answers and real care — not the political exploitation we’ve seen from Senator Johnson and his allies in recent weeks. Now that Wisconsinites know that Johnson’s staff concealed evidence, Sen. Johnson has a chance at Tuesday’s hearing to move away from politicizing his committee chairmanship, finally accept some accountability, and focus on the reforms and resources needed to provide Wisconsin’s veterans with the care that they’ve earned.” – Michael Tyler, RFW Communications Director

Russ for Wisconsin

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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