Ron Johnson's version of January 6th's Capitol Riots

On Tuesday, Senator Ron Johnson made claims suggesting that left-wing “provocateurs” and “fake” Trump supporters were responsible for the violence that took place during the Capitol riots on January 6. Johnson, who had previously refused to condemn former President Trump’s lies about the election, made the comments during a Senate committee hearing that was investigating how rioters were able to breach the Capitol. During the hearing, Johnson read from an article published in The Federalist, which claimed, without evidence, that “Antifa or other leftist agitators” were responsible for attacking police officers and turning peaceful protestors into an “invading mob”. The article also described Trump supporters as overwhelmingly peaceful and responsible and suggested that they did not litter. However, multiple sources, including BuzzFeed News and charging documents filed against rioters, have confirmed that the majority of those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 was Trump supporters who came to Washington D.C. prepared for a fight because they believed that the election had been stolen from Trump.

Despite this, Johnson spent most of his time during the hearing reading from The Federalist article and suggesting that left-wing “provocateurs” were responsible for the attack. Johnson was one of 13 Republican senators who initially voted against certifying Joe Biden’s Electoral College win but later reversed course after the Capitol siege.

The hearing was intended to analyze the security breakdowns of January 6, and committee members repeatedly heard that the National Guard, under the control of then-President Trump, was slow to respond. Acting DC Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee III described being “stunned” as the federal government dragged its heels on sending in troops.