.@SenRonJohnson answers reporters’ questions ahead of Trump’s rally in Janesville.
Johnson, who recently came out of quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, said he generally doesn't wear a mask when he is outdoors. He said the stiff wind would help prevent infections during Trump's rally.
"I don't think this is particularly dangerous at all," Johnson said.
Some at the rally are wearing masks, some aren't and some have them dangling from their chins.
“I refuse to wear a mask," one told me.
When asked why, he said, "Because I’m not a sheep and I’m not scared. It's their way to get control over us.”
“We’re often accused of being angry white males or angry Republicans or angry conservatives. Where’s the anger? What I see, what I see is celebration, celebrating America, appreciating our flag, loving this country.”
.@SenRonJohnson (con't): "You know who doesn’t particularly like America? Joe Biden supporters. People who are taking to the streets. These are supposed to be peaceful protests that turn into riots and burn down buildings in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin.”
Trump is about to hit the ground in Janesville.
“Air Force One, you are clear to land.”
Trump, in MAGA hat, takes the stage.
Trump kicks off his rally discussing specialty milk and how it inspired him to get the USMCA.
Trump says he’s wearing the MAGA hat because of the stiff wind in Janesville.
He says he wishes Wisconsin had a Republican governor so the state would be more open.
Wisconsin is currently in the midst of a surge of COVID-19 cases.
Trump reminds the crowd that early voting begins Tuesday in Wisconsin.
“Oh how I have saved your suburbs.” — Trump
“It’s so unfair but we’re president and they’re not.” — Trump
“I’ll tell you what: Illinois could use a new governor.” — Trump
Trump says his son Barron had COVID-19 but got over it “in about 9 seconds.”
There is a substantial number of people at Trump’s rally who are not wearing masks, but virtually everyone behind the president and in the camera frame is wearing a mask.
On Foxconn, Trump says “they don’t want to invest with these people” in state government.
Wisconsin under @ScottWalker promised Foxconn up to $4 billion in taxpayer help. @GovEvers’ administration this week said Foxconn hadn’t created enough jobs to qualify for some subsidies.
More on Foxconn coming short of job targets, via @RicoReporting:
In an interview with WTMJ-TV ahead of the rally, @realDonaldTrump said the event would be safe because it was outdoors.
“We give masks to everybody at the rally but the rallies again are outdoors,” Trump said.
Also in his interview with @CharlesBenson4, Trump said he would be willing to spend more than $2.2 trillion on the next stimulus.
Republicans who control the Senate have made clear they would never go for a measure that expensive. Trump claims he could persuade them.
In the WTMJ interview, Trump initially blamed the pandemic for Foxconn not coming through on its job pledges, even though the company failed to meet those promises even before the pandemic.
He said the company would come through on creating 13,000 jobs.
Trump on Foxonn:
“They will do -- when I tell them to do, they will do what’s supposed to be done because they did make promises.
Trump on Foxcon: “If they don’t meet the standards, you shouldn’t give them the tax credits...."
Trump on Foxconn, con't: "But they will end up being a great investment for your state. And they will put up a tremendous, a lot of money if, by the way, if I’m president. If Biden is president, nobody’s going to do anything. You’re going to end up in a depression.”
Foxconn, which promised to create up to 13,000 jobs, has created fewer than 300 that are eligible for subsidies, according to the state.
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In a @wispolitics forum, @SenatorRoth says Republicans may hold a lame-duck session to pass a prescription benefit management bill as well as other unspecified legislation.
He doesn't say whether they would vote down the mask requirement, as @Vanwanggaard says they will.
The group lobbies the Legislature on numerous issues, including ones not related to voting, and has taken liberal stances on legislation related to tax cuts, school vouchers, abortion and environmental issues.
Republicans are in court to end Wisconsin's mask mandate, but most won't talk about it bit.ly/2GFWudr -- via @MollyBeck, @ericlitke and me
State Sen. @Vanwanggaard says if the court case on ending @GovEvers' mask requirement doesn't go their way, Wisconsin Republicans will come into session soon after the Nov. 3 election to end the mandate.
Wanggaard said he would oppose a mask mandate under any circumstance, even if the COVID-19 outbreak grew 10 times worse.
INBOX: Longtime conservative activist Bob Dohnal criticizes @AndrewHittGOP and GOP Waukesha Co Chair Terry Dittrich for their opposition to a post by GOP staffer Keith Best that they saw as demeaning to @KamalaHarris.
Dohnal: “GOP leaders develop some BALLS for once.”
Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) wants to end the public health emergency declared by @GovEvers because he views it as illegal.
The Legislature could vote down the emergency declaration. Nass blames @repvos, the Assembly's Republican speaker, for not doing so.
Nass said three people are responsible for a "constitutional crisis" in Wisconsin.
"They are Governor Tony Evers, DHS Secretary-Designee Andrea Palm and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos."
Nass: "Assembly Speaker Vos continues to enable the illegal conduct of this administration by blocking the Legislature from meeting to put an end to the improper emergency declaration and emergency orders issued under it."