Ron Johnson Defends Cutting His Own Taxes—Again

During a Monday media availability, Ron Johnson delivered a unique Tax Day 2022 message to Wisconsinites, once again defending his advocacy for tax breaks that benefited himself and his campaign donors.

WISC-TV: Johnson reiterates defense of vote in favor of 2017 tax cuts that benefitted his business

Key Points:

• “U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on Monday again defended his vote in favor of the 2017 tax cuts that he admitted earlier this month benefitted his own plastics company…”
• “Johnson’s comments during a stop at the Oregon Area Fire/EMS District headquarters came a week and a half after he told attendees at an event in Medford that his business and those of some prominent donors benefitted from the tax law changes.”

As WISC-TV’s coverage notes, Johnson’s Monday comments came after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week reported that Johnson earlier this month admitted that the 2017 tax law benefited his own business as well as his campaign donors’ business interests.

Johnson still hasn’t said how much he personally benefited from the tax cuts he secured for himself. But he has now repeatedly made the false claim that he did not communicate with his campaign donors while pushing tax bill changes that ultimately benefited them. That claim is not true; and, as ProPublica reported last August, there’s a paper trail which proves otherwise.

Here are a few questions that Johnson still needs to answer about pushing for tax cuts that he admits benefited himself and his big donors:

1. How much have you saved yourself and your family business in taxes following the changes you made to the GOP tax law in 2017?

2. Do you think it’s appropriate and ethical for a member of Congress to use their power to change legislation to enrich themselves and their biggest donors?

3. You have said your donors saved money under the tax breaks you secured for them. Which donors specifically were you talking about, and have you been in touch with them about it?

4. Why did you previously lie and deny that you heard from campaign donors while you pushed tax law changes that benefited them? ProPublica has reported that your advocacy for changes to the bill was, at least in part, directly in response to lobbying from campaign donors.

5. Three of your biggest campaign backers, the billionaires Dick and Liz Uihlein and Diane Hendricks, have reportedly saved hundreds of millions in taxes thanks to your legislative maneuvering. Have you ever talked to them about securing those tax breaks for them?

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.