‘No You’re Not… I Can See Your Screen’: Ron Johnson Busted After Telling Reporters ‘I’m on the Phone’ While Trying to Dodge Them
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) tried dodging reporters by pretending to be on his phone as he walked away from the U.S. Capitol, only to be busted by one who apparently noticed his screen was not in call mode.
Johnson received scrutiny on Tuesday after the Jan. 6 committee presented a text message exchange between one of his staffers and an aide to Mike Pence on that date in 2021. The correspondence came shortly before the Capitol riot delayed the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
In it, Johnson chief-of-staff Sean Riley texted Pence assistant Chris Hodgson to tell him the senator had an “alternate slate of electors” pledged for Donald Trump for Pence to review ahead of the certification, over which he would be presiding.
RILEY: Johnson needs to hand something to VPOTUS please advise
HODGSON: What is it?
RILEY: Alternate slate of electors for MI and WI because archivist didn’t receive them
HODGSON: Do not give that to him
Hodgson’s directive was apparently heeded, but reporters unsurprisingly asked Johnson about it. As he was walking away from the Capitol on Tuesday, Johnson held his phone to his ear and told reporters Frank Thorp V of NBC News and Manu Raju of CNN he was busy when they tried to ask him about the exchange.
THORP: How much did you know about what your chief-of-staff was doing with the alternate slates of the electors?
JOHNSON: I’m on the phone right now.
THORP: No you’re not. I can see your phone. I can see your screen.
RAJU: Senator, can you explain with your chief-of-staff was doing?
THORP: Does your chief-of-staff still work for you, senator?
At that point, Johnson “got off the phone” and fielded their questions.
“This a complete non-story,” he said. “I don’t know what you’re even concerned about here.”
Johnson claimed he wasn’t aware of the correspondence, calling it a “staff to staff exchange.”
“I was basically, you know, unaware of it,” he added.
Johnson stated the alternate slate of electors had been given to his office, but claimed he did not know by whom.
“I had no involvement in an alternate state of electors,” he said.
Watch above via MSNBC.
