WASHINGTON—On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined Fox News’ “The Story with Martha McCallum” and Fox Business’ “Kudlow” to discuss the silence from mainstream media of the recent Durham filing.

The interviews can be found here and here, excerpts are below.

On the Durham Investigation:

“It’s great to see the way the mainstream media is covering this. The outrage. The mea culpas. I guess that’s not happening is it? You know why, Larry? I don't think they were only duped. I think they were complicit in this massive political dirty trick. I think these crimes, and what you really need to take a look at is what this all resulted in. The five years of political turmoil. The exacerbated division in this country because of what these people did. We need to get to the bottom of this. I’ve always felt the Russian hoax, ever since we uncovered and made public the Peter Strzok and Lisa Page texts. There is one text in particular. I have to quick read this. This was in December of 2016 between the election and the inauguration. Peter Strzok texted Lisa Page, ‘think our sisters [the intelligence agencies] have begun leaking like mad. Scorned and worried and political, they're kicking into overdrive.’ What were they worried about? We knew they were highly political. I’ve always felt this Russian hoax was a massive diversionary operation, which is what the CIA and intelligence communities are good at, to cover up their wrongdoing during the election. Just what it all resulted in was just tragic for this country.” (Sen. Johnson, ‘Kudlow,’ 2/15/22)

“This was a massive diversion operation. We don't know who all was involved, but the American public deserve a full accounting. I agree with you, Attorney General Merrick Garland must release the entire report from John Durham so the American public actually knows because congressional oversight, this is what we get from federal agencies when we try to conduct oversight. This is the kind of production we get. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. The American public has to see this. They also have to hold the news media accountable because they're completely complicit in this. I’m experiencing it right now in terms of Democrats making up stories and then the media running with it and smearing me. That’s what happens. That’s what the complicity is with the news media and with the Democrat party.” (Sen. Johnson, ‘The Story with Martha McCallum,’ 2/15/22)

On Biden’s weakness:

“What he has been conveying since he took office is weakness. He opened up our border. You have a flood of illegal immigration. You have massive deficit spending sparking 7.5% inflation. The embarrassing and dangerous defeat in Afghanistan. There’s a reason that Russia is on the move. They’re going to take advantage of a weak administration, so we need to show strength. I’m afraid that Robert Gates, President Obama’s Defense Secretary is right. Joe Biden has been wrong on every foreign policy issue in the last 40 years. His record is continuing.” (Sen. Johnson, ‘The Story with Martha McCallum,’ 2/15/22)

On Democrat out of control spending:

“I stopped spending for COVID relief and all these spending boondoggles after the first CARES Act, which also was way too large and not targeted enough ... It’s far too many dollars being created, chasing too few goods. One of the reasons we have fewer goods is because so many of these programs are paying people, and making it possible for them to remain on sidelines and not enter the workforce. You have manufacturers that can't fill out shifts. They can't meet their demand. You have a double-whammy, too many dollars chasing even fewer goods which is why we have 7.5% inflation and a forty-year high.” (Sen. Johnson, ‘Kudlow,’ 2/15/22)

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