As Wisconsinites Rallied Outside Of His Office, Ron Johnson Doubled Down On Securing Tax Break That Benefited Himself And His Biggest Donors, Who Just Gave $280,000 To 2022 Re-election Efforts

MADISON, Wis. – Senator Ron Johnson’s 2022 Tax Day can be described in one word: trainwreck. While Ron Johnson was doubling down and defending efforts that in his own words “benefited” himself and his campaign donors, voters in Johnson’s hometown held a rally blasting Johnson for rigging the tax code in his favor and supporting a Republican agenda that would raise taxes on 32% of Wisconsinites.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it came to light over the weekend that some of his campaign donors who got millions of dollars in tax breaks because of the provision Johnson pushed, just donated another $280,000 to Johnson’s 2022 re-election efforts. 

See what voters are reading below.

WKOW: On Tax Day, Sen. Johnson Defends Tax Cut That Benefitted Himself, Top Donors

• Sen. Ron Johnson defended the tax cut provision he demanded more than four years ago - one his political opponents hope will damage his re-election efforts this fall. In late 2017, Johnson withheld his support for the sweeping Republican tax cut plan under former Speaker Paul Ryan and former President Donald Trump.
• Johnson insisted on raising the amount business owners could deduct on the “pass-through” tax provision. The move had an outsized benefit on high earners, including two of Johnson's biggest donors. Johnson successfully pushed his colleagues to allow pass-through business owners to deduct up to 20 percent of their profits. A report from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, which reports to Congress, estimated that by 2024, the tax cut would amount to $60 billion in savings with 60 percent of that money staying in the pockets of owners taking in more than $500,000 per year.
• A 2021 report from ProPublica obtained confidential tax records of some of the country's wealthiest owners of pass-through businesses. Its analysis found two of the three biggest beneficiaries were Wisconsinites among Johnson's biggest donors.
• The second and third biggest beneficiaries were Dick and Liz Uihlein, owners of Uline Packaging in Pleasant Prairie, and Diane Hendricks of Beloit-based ABC Supply Co. The Uihliens saved $43.53 million in 2018 while Hendricks saved $35.91 million. The Uihleins gave Johnson's campaign fund about $280,000 in the last quarter per FEC filings due last Friday. Johnson has admitted he personally benefited from the expanded pass-through provision.

WISC: Johnson Reiterates Defense of Vote in Favor of 2017 Tax Cuts That Benefitted His Business

• Sen. Ron Johnson on Monday again defended his vote in favor of the 2017 tax cuts that he admitted earlier this month benefitted his own plastics company.
• Johnson’s comments during a stop at the Oregon Area Fire/EMS District headquarters came a week and a half after he told attendees at an event in Medford that his business and those of some prominent donors benefitted from the tax law changes.
• When asked why he voted against the American Rescue Plan, which included funding for first responders, Johnson said that while there is “worthy spending” in large legislative packages, his concerns about the nation’s debt led him to vote no at the end.

CBS58: Sen. Ron Johnson Defends Tax Cuts That Benefited His Plastics Company

WISC: Republicans Pushing to Raise WI Taxes 32%

FOX 11: Rally Outside of Sen. Ron Johnson’s Office Asking for Change