Sen. Ron Johnson Claims Jan. 6 Was Not an ‘Armed Insurrection’ Because People Stayed ‘Within the Roped Lines’
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) reiterated his belief Sunday that the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a “non-violent” gathering.
Fox News’ Mark Levin asked the senator about prosecutors’ efforts to track down those who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, including by using geolocation data from cellphones. Asked if he was concerned the Justice Department was not being transparent, Johnson said he is trying to create “public pressure.”
Johnson noted that he “didn’t get squat” from FBI Director Christopher Wray when he was subpoenaed “and that was when Trump was in office.”
He referenced an eyewitness account, saying the vast majority were “in a jovial mood,” and while “they were serious, they weren’t violent.”
“I think it’s extremely important to create an accurate historical record of exactly what happened so the false narrative that thousands of armed insurrectionists doesn’t last,” Johnson continued. “That’s why I have my staff going and reviewing the relevant parts of the 14 hours worth of surveillance and we’re finding out some interesting things.”
Levin asked what the footage revealed, and Johnson replied that they counted “about 309 people” entering a door next to police without any confrontation.
He later concluded: “They weren’t rioting. It doesn’t look like an armed insurrection when you have people that breach the Capitol, and I don’t condone it, but they’re staying within the roped lines in the Rotunda. That’s not what armed insurrection would look like.”
Levin chimed in, “And I believe an armed insurrection requires arms.”
Three people were charged with federal firearms violations in connection to the insurrection, and court documents show numerous other “deadly or dangerous” weapons were brought into the Capitol. According to CBS News, those included “Tasers, tomahawk axes, crowbars, flagpoles, a knife, an ice axe, a firecracker, a stun gun, baseball bats, fire extinguishers, a wooden club and chemical spray.”
Watch above, via Fox News.
