Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and a group of GOP Senate Trump loyalists wrote to the DOJ and wanted to know why black protesters aren’t being prosecuted like Capitol attackers.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), along with senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wrote to Attorney General Garland:
DOJ’s apparent unwillingness to punish these individuals who allegedly committed crimes during the spring and summer 2020 protests stands in stark contrast to the harsher treatment of the individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. To date, DOJ has charged 510 individuals stemming from Capitol breach. DOJ maintains and updates a webpage that lists the defendants charged with crimes committed at the Capitol. This database includes information such as the defendant’s name, charge(s), case number, case documents, location of arrest, case status, and informs readers when the entry was last updated. No such database exists for alleged perpetrators of crimes associated with the spring and summer 2020 protests. It is unclear whether any defendants charged with crimes in connection with the Capitol breach have received deferred resolution agreements.
Americans have the constitutional right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances. This constitutional right should be cherished and protected. Violence, property damage, and vandalism of any kind should not be tolerated and individuals that break the law should be prosecuted. However, the potential unequal administration of justice with respect to certain protestors is particularly concerning.
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How many Black Lives Matter protesters killed police officers while trying to overthrow the government? The answer is zero.
Protesting because the police kill you if your skin is not white is not the same thing as a violent coup led by a treasonous president who was upset because he lost an election.
Johnson, Cruz, and the other Republican senators are trying to diminish the actions of the domestic terrorists by falsely equating them with people who protest police violence against citizens of color.
It’s not the same.
Every time Republicans like Ron Johnson try to spread their lies, the nation must be reminded that these Republican Senators supported the violent overthrow of the United States government.
Instead of asking why aren’t black protesters being prosecuted, a better question is why haven’t Ron Johnson, Ted Cruz, and the others been prosecuted for their roles in the 1/6 attack?
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
