In the midst of having to contend with fill-in host Dana Bash constantly trying to yell over him during his Sunday appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R) brought the fire as he called out the liberal media and congressional Democrats for helping Russia “destabilize our politics” with their obsession with the false Russia collusion narrative.
After pressing Johnson on the violence in Kenosha last week, Bash shifted gears to ask questions about acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell’s decision to stop giving Congress oral briefings, and instead just submit them in writing.
In his answer, Johnson explained that Democratic lawmakers like Adam Schiff (D-CA) were leaking information to the press, and noted how the two had helped Russia’s efforts to destabilize out elections system (Click “expand”):
SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): Well, they will in written form, and they're not doing it in person because of the leaks, apparently. Listen, Dana. I've been on top of Russian interference in elections well before 2016. As chairman of the European Subcommittee on Foreign Relations, we held three hearings on the way Russia tries to destabilize the election systems of countries around the world. And that is what they have done successfully--
BASH (speaking over Johnson): Right. Right. I know that. I want to get to that, but --
JOHNSON: -- Because they were aided and abetted by people like Adam Schiff, Democrats, and the mainstream media.
It was a bold claim, yet the only thing that Bash had a problem with was him drawing attention to how Democrats were leaking intelligence information. “Hold on! Hold on a second! I want to push back on one thing you just said,” she exclaimed. “First of all, members of the committee, people who said on the Intelligence Committees dispute that they leak.”
“Big surprise,” Johnson quipped as Bash continued to ramble on about the DNI’s decision. It was a tacit lie on Bash’s part. She and CNN knew the identity of their “anonymous sources” and refused to be straight with the public.
And after brushing aside Bash’s pearl-clutching, the Senator reiterated his point about the Democrats and the media helping Putin:
We know that foreign actors are trying to influence -- trying to destabilize our political system. But again, we're doing Putin's work for him. What Adam Schiff did with this false narrative, with the news media did in terms of false Russian collusion with the Trump campaign narrative, criminal investigation, special counsel, that is what is destabilized our politics. It’s how the media and how Democrats have taken that and basically done Vladimir Putin's work for him.
“This isn’t about the media. It’s about the Constitution and the oversight responsibility that people like you in Congress have,” Bash complained, still not addressing the argument directly.
Johnson shot back by noting that the committees were already aware of Russia’s efforts and China’s backing of Joe Biden. He then poked a hole in her fear-mongering by pointing out how it’s “very difficult to change votes” and “very difficult to actually affect the poll numbers.”
Adding: “What you can do is destabilize our politics and that's exactly what Russia succeeded in doing because of what Adam Schiff, Democrats, and the news media have done as a result.”
Bash’s only recourse was to make Johnson look like a conspiracy theorist by asking him if he refuted the fact Russia tried to interfere in 2016. He defused her attempted smear by saying he did subscribe to it, and made his point a fourth time. “We can't blow it out of proportion to destabilize out own political system, which is what has happened over the last three years. We’ve done it to ourselves,” he lamented.
Bash’s combative interview and refusal address Johnson’s points was mad possible because of lucrative sponsorships deal with Infiniti and WeatherTech. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about what they’re funding.
The transcript is below, click “expand” to read:
CNN’s State of the Union
August 30, 2020
9:10:03 a.m. Eastern(…)
DANA BASH: I want to turn to the question of Russia, and more specifically election interference in the election we are currently in. The office of the director of national intelligence informed congressional oversight committees that it will no longer be briefing in person on election security issues. Do you think that the DNI should continue or his aides should continue to give those briefings?
SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): Well, they will in written form, and they're not doing it in person because of the leaks, apparently. Listen, Dana. I've been on top of Russian interference in elections well before 2016. As chairman of the European Subcommittee on Foreign Relations, we held three hearings on the way Russia tries to destabilize the election systems of countries around the world. And that is what they have done successfully--
BASH (speaking over Johnson): Right. Right. I know that. I want to get to that, but --
JOHNSON: -- Because they were aided and abetted by people like Adam Schiff, Democrats, and the mainstream media.
BASH: Hold on! Hold on a second! I want to push back on one thing you just said!
JOHNSON: They have a very difficult time influencing elections--
BASH: Let's focus on the issue at hand, which is the DNI briefing. You just said because of leaks. My question for you is, first of all, members of the committee, people who said on the Intelligence Committees dispute that they leak. But secondly, why logically would having an all written --
JOHNSON: Big surprise.
BASH: -- Why would having an all written briefing do anything to stop leaks? Wouldn't it make it easier if you had something on a piece of paper?
JOHNSON: First of all, Dana, this -- Listen, I sit during -- through secured briefings. This is being blown so way out of proportion. I can probably count on one or two fingers the things that are actually classified in those briefings. There is no surprise here.
We know that foreign actors are trying to influence -- trying to destabilize our political system. But again, we're doing Putin's work for him. What Adam Schiff did with this false narrative, with the news media did in terms of false Russian collusion with the Trump campaign narrative, criminal investigation, special counsel, that is what is destabilized our politics. It’s how the media and how Democrats have taken that and basically done Vladimir Putin's work for him.
BASH: This isn’t about the media. It’s about the Constitution and the oversight responsibility that people like you in Congress have. Shouldn't you have the opportunity to question people who are working on securing the elections which are happening now?
JOHNSON: We do and we will. And we all know what Putin is doing, China wants Biden to be the next president. We understand that. But, you know, it is very difficult to change votes. It is very difficult to actually affect the poll numbers. What you can do is destabilize our politics and that's exactly what Russia succeeded in doing because of what Adam Schiff, Democrats, and the news media have done as a result.
BASH: Do you believe and do you agree with the notion that Russia, as we speak, is trying to destabilize this election?
JOHNSON: They always have, they always will. Yes. Yes. Again—
BASH: You subscribe to that, you don’t push back on that?
JOHNSON: I held hearings on this a couple of years before 2016. I'm not surprised at all by it. Yes, we have to -- we have to take it very seriously. But we can't play into Putin's hands. We can't blow it out of proportion to destabilize out own political system, which is what has happened over the last three years. We’ve done it to ourselves.
(…)
