MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A new report details how Ron Johnson has voted against half a dozen bills that included police funding. In 2011, Johnson voted against legislation that was written as a police funding bill. Soon after, in 2013, Johnson supported an amendment that would defund police in states and municipalities that released gun ownership data. Despite being the deciding vote on the 2017 tax bill that added nearly $2 trillion to the deficit, Johnson tried to justify his votes against bills that funded the police due to the cost of the legislation.
Over the last six years, Ron Johnson has voted against over $13.6 billion in federal police and public safety funding, $14 million of which supported the creation of nearly 60 police officer positions in Wisconsin. In 2013, Johnson even voted to withhold police funding for states that would have allowed the release of gun ownership data.
“Ron Johnson fought for millions of dollars in tax breaks for himself and his biggest donors, but he couldn’t be bothered to fight for funding to keep communities safe. We shouldn’t be surprised he played politics with our safety — this is the same man who encouraged an insurrection that injured 140 police officers. He can’t be trusted to keep us safe.” said Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes.
While Ron Johnson has undermined police funding and community safety, Lt. Governor Barnes has a clear record of supporting law enforcement and working to keep all Wisconsin communities safe. This includes allocating over $50 million dollars to support police, sheriff’s offices and criminal justice initiatives.
Additional Background:
In 2013, Ron Johnson voted to withhold funding for law enforcement from states. Johnson voted to withhold state funding for law enforcement if a state released gun ownership data.
Ron Johnson’s votes against the American Rescue Plan were also votes against over $10 billion in federal funding for public safety.
- 2021: Johnson voted against the American Rescue Plan Act which allocated $10 billion to law enforcement. The Evers-Barnes Administration invested $19 million in American Rescue Plan funds in local police departments.
Over the last six years, Ron Johnson voted against $20 million in federal funding for Wisconsin law enforcement.
In the last 6 years, in the course of voting against budgets for FY 22, FY 21, FY 20, and FY 18, Johnson voted against $3.6 billion to support law enforcement, drug treatment, mental health and crime prevention programs across the country, including $20 million to Wisconsin.
Ron Johnson voted against a bill which provided $35 billion for police officers, fire fighters, and teachers.
2011-2013: Johnson has been voting against law enforcement for his whole career, voting for a bill in 2013 to withhold funding for law enforcement if states released gun ownership data, and a bill in 2011 which provided $35 billion to local governments for police officers, fire fighters, and teachers.
- Johnson voted against the Teachers and First Responders Back To Work Act, which provided $35 billion in aid to state & local governments for teachers, police officers, & fire fighters.
