Johnson Stands with Dark Money Interests with Vote Against Freedom To Vote Act

Madison, Wis., — Ron Johnson voted against the Freedom to Vote Act, which would protect Wisconsinites’ voting rights and prevent dark money interests from dumping unlimited and uncountable donations into elections.

“By protecting the dark money influence in our elections, Ron Johnson is once again doing the bidding of himself and special interest allies at the expense of Wisconsin’s interests.” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Senate Communications Advisor Philip Shulman said. “No amount of dark money will be able to hide that Johnson has completely failed his duties as a United States Senator and he will be held accountable come next November.”

The legislation includes the DISCLOSE Act, the Honest Ads Act, and the Spotlight Act, which would prevent wealthy donors, foreign actors, and certain organizations from operating in the shadows and would shine a light on who is actually financing elections. For years, individuals like Diane Hendricks and Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein have been able to funnel tens of millions of dollars into campaigns unchecked, as they did in 2016, when they gave a combined $20 million to groups backing Johnson’s re-election efforts. This legislation would shine a light on that, as well as make it far harder for foreign entities like Russia to sponsor advertisements that interfere in elections, as they did in 2016.

Johnson also voted against removing barriers to vote by making election day a federal holiday, automatically registering voters at the DMV, allowing for online voter registration, guaranteeing same day voter registration, and mandating a minimum of a 15 day early voting period. The Freedom to Vote Act would enshrine Wisconsinites’ right to vote, better equip poll workers, prohibit states from banning voters from receiving food or drinks while waiting to cast their ballot, as well as help prevent harassment or intimidation at the polls.

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.