WASHINGTON — Ron Johnson, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and the most vulnerable Senate Republican, attempted to intervene on the former president’s behalf just moments before Congress met to certify the election results on Jan. 6, 2021, the House panel investigating the attack on the Capitol that day revealed Tuesday.
Sean Riley, who is now Johnson’s chief of staff, told an aide to Vice President Mike Pence that the Wisconsin senator wanted to deliver fake electors for Wisconsin and Michigan to Pence.
“Johnson needs to hand something to VPOTUS please advise,” Riley texted Pence aide Chris Hodgson at 12:37 p.m. that day, minutes before Pence gaveled in the joint session to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, which ultimately was interrupted by a mob of Trump supporters.
“What is it?” Hodgson responded.
“Alternate slate of electors for MI and WI because archivist didn’t receive them,” Riley answered. Hodgson replied, “Do not give that to him.”
Alexa Henning, a Johnson spokeswoman, tweeted that Johnson had “no involvement in the creation of an alternate slate of electors” and had “no foreknowledge that it was going to be delivered to our office.”
“This was a staff to staff exchange,” Henning tweeted. She added that “the vice president’s office said not to give it to him and we did not. There was no further action taken. End of story.”
Henning did not respond to questions about whether Johnson wanted and intended to present the false slate to Pence.
Democrats running to challenge Johnson, who is seeking a third term, jumped on the new information.
“Ron Johnson is a danger to democracy,” tweeted Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who is leading in a recent poll of Democratic primary challengers in the Senate race.
Another Democratic contender, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, tweeted that Johnson “is a seditious traitor and a danger to democracy.”
