When asked Monday about Republicans in Wisconsin having falsely claimed to be electors for Donald Trump in the 2020 election, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) claimed that Democrats have done the same “repeatedly in all kinds of different states”—yet failed to provide even one example, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins merely to “check the books.”
On The Source, Collins mentioned how 10 Republicans in Johnson’s state settled a lawsuit last week that was brought by Wisconsin’s legitimate electors, who had sought $200,000 from each elector. Though no fine was handed down, each elector admitted that Joe Biden won the election and agreed to not be an elector in 2024 or any election in which Donald Trump was a candidate. They also agreed that by posing as electors, they were “part of an attempt to improperly overturn” the election results.
One elector, however, will remain on the state’s nonpartisan elections commission, as Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said Monday that he would not rescind his appointment of Bob Spindell to the post. The commission has three Republicans and three Democrats.
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When asked if he supported calls for Spindell’s resignation, Johnson made clear that he didn’t.
“No. Again, there was an active court case. There were all kinds of irregularities in Wisconsin in the 2020 election. In order to make sure that the case just wasn’t determined to be moot, they had to have an ultimate slate of electors, just like Democrats have done repeatedly in all kinds of different states,” he said. “There is nothing untoward about what they did. There is nothing illegal about what they did. They are just an alternate slate of electors.”
Johnson then complained about Democrats using the courts “to harass these poor individuals.” The GOP senator then repeated his assertion that the 10 Republicans “did nothing different than what many Democrats have done in many states.”
“They certainly did, Senator,” Collins pushed back. “There were multiple slates of fake electors, including in your home state. They’re acknowledging that they were playing a role in trying to improperly overturn the election. That’s what they said.”
In July, 16 fraudulent Trump electors in Michigan were charged. Last week, six Nevada Republicans were indicted for the same reason.
When Johnson continued to insist that Democrats have also declared themselves electors in various states, Collins simply asked for examples.
“Which ones, sir?”
“I’m not prepared to give you the exact states,” Johnson replied, “but it’s happened repeatedly. It has happened repeatedly. Just go check the books.”
“Which books?” Collins asked.
Once again, Johnson came up empty-handed, and accused Collins’ simple follow-ups of being inappropriate for the interview.
“There have been alternate slates of electors by Democrat electors in our history. Again, you didn’t—this wasn’t what this interview was going to be about,” he griped. “I’ll come and I’ll provide you the information, but I’m absolutely certain about that.”
“I look forward to your office sending that information,” Collins replied. “We’ll publish it if it’s accurate.”
