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30 May, 26 tweets, 9 min read
Ron Johnson and 34 other Republicans blocked the bipartisan 1/6 commission. Make this backfire. Let’s supercharge the @WisDems end of month fundraising drive. Goal: 195 new monthly donors in the next 35 hours. Can you sign up? 1/
secure.actblue.com/donate/insurre…
The GOP’s desperation to cover up the crimes of January 6 comes from knowledge of complicity. They can’t bear the re-airing of the truth: how so many Republicans fanned the conspiracy theories that led to the deadly insurrection.
Another reason Ron Johnson doesn’t want an investigative commission: it would torpedo the obvious misinformation he himself has been pushing ever since. Here he is on Fox News saying “Even calling it an insurrection, it wasn’t! … By and large it was peaceful protest…”
Johnson has been trying to rewrite history ever since insurrectionists mobbed the Senate Chambers. Do you remember “This didn’t seem like an armed insurrection to me”? We ran this ad statewide in January:
The proposed bill would establish a bipartisan commission to investigate 1/6. It passed the House with bipartisan support. It already has bipartisan support in the Senate—but it doesn’t have 60 votes because Mitch has called in personal favors to block it.
Johnson fed the Big Lie before the insurrection, and he’s been trying to misinform the public about the insurrection ever since. He’s afraid of the truth. It’s a profound form of political cowardice. Help us usher him out of office—become a monthly donor: secure.actblue.com/donate/insurre…
Meanwhile, there’s another Republican in Wisconsin embodying a different type of political cowardice: Congressman Mike Gallagher.
thenation.com/article/politi…
Unlike Johnson, Gallagher went on a press tour after the insurrection, appearing to be horrified by the violence, condemning Trump. He even said, “We should have a thorough bipartisan investigation to find out exactly what happened that day and whether [Trump] had a role in it.”
During the insurrection itself, Gallagher made national headlines for calling the insurrection “Banana Republic crap.” So, I wonder, what would the 1/6 Mike Gallagher say about a party that goes to the mat to block an investigation into that crap?
whsv.com/video/2021/01/…
Actions speak louder than words. Gallagher voted against Trump’s second impeachment. When that happened, we posted *this* ad almost immediately. So that Wisconsinites would know: Gallagher’s claims to conscience are a pose. Every time, he puts his career first.
Next, Gallagher supported Liz Cheney. Then he once again chose party over country, and he voted to expel her from leadership. And now here he is, following the GOP herd to cover up the insurrection he so preeningly denounced.
Here’s the simple truth: When push comes to shove, Gallagher consistently caves into the extremism of his party. Where’s your moral courage, Gallagher?
politifact.com/factchecks/202…
What Republicans are doing, in a nutshell: They’re rewriting history so Americans don’t remember who inspired and caused violence at the Capitol. And they’re pledging allegiance to Trump, lest he turns on them and beat them in a primary.
Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is right: “Republicans in both chambers are trying to rewrite history in fealty to—or in fear of—the former president, Donald Trump.”

That must have a political price. Help us create one.
nytimes.com/2021/05/20/us/…
We were only able to get those ads out on Johnson & Gallagher because we had reliable monthly donors that we could count on. Holding extremist Republicans accountable & defining who they truly are (as early as we can!) takes a strong, small-dollar donor base. You.
We’re communicating and organizing all year round. We’re talking to Wisconsinites everywhere. We’re certainly not waiting till ‘22. We’ve already started, right after we won in November 2020. And we need your help to ramp it up.
Early organizing and communication played a central role in defeating Trump in 2020—in Wisconsin and places like Georgia. Now we have to use that model in the midterms to win in 2022. We didn’t in 2010, and we lost. We can’t make that mistake again.
We’re literally hiring field organizers *right now.* We’re expanding our communications team *right now.* Your commitment of support enables us to take risks and lean into the fight, at a moment when the stakes are through the roof. Your help defends democracy.
We need 195 new monthly donors to join us by midnight, May 31. Long-term investment requires dedicated supporters. Small, but sustaining contributions add up. Together, let’s rid ourselves of insurrection-provoking and cowardly Republicans for good: secure.actblue.com/donate/insurre…
⏰ We have 14 hours left till our May fundraising deadline. We still need 185 new monthly donors to join us.

Make a monthly donation of *any* amount and let's hold dangerous, extremist Republicans accountable: wisdems.org/insurrection-r…
If you start a monthly donation today, or have in the past, please let me know below. I want to personally thank you for supporting our work! 👇
UPDATE: We’ve got 9 hours left till our midnight fundraising deadline to close out the month of May!

Can you help us hit our goal by starting a monthly donation (any amount!) and sharing this thread? wisdems.org/insurrection-r…
🚨 5 HOURS LEFT: We're about a third way to our goal, and with your help, we can hit it in the next few hours.

Can you spread the word about our monthly donor fundraising drive by quote-tweeting and sharing this thread?
***3 hours left till our midnight fundraising deadline***

We can't slow down now, let's keep the momentum up! Help us defeat Ron Johnson by becoming a monthly donor (and share this thread): wisdems.org/insurrection-r…
Holy mackerel! Our monthly donor numbers shot up this past hour—thank you so much to all the new monthly donors joining us.

At this rate, we'll hit our midnight fundraising goal! Help us smash it: wisdems.org/insurrection-r…
🚨 1 HOUR LEFT: Team, your support has been *incredible* tonight. Because of your generosity & commitment to oust Ron Johnson, we're on track to hit our goal by midnight.

Can you help us take it home? Contribute any recurring amount here: wisdems.org/insurrection-r…

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More from @benwikler

Ben Wikler Profile picture
28 May
EVENT! Wisconsin will be the epicenter of national politics in the ‘22 elections—and we’ll be ready. Chip in any amount to join me, @TeamPelosi, @chuckschumer, and @harrisonjaime for a can’t-miss strategy session on June 6—details here & below: wisdems.org/win2022
Wisconsin is on a perpetual knife’s edge. We’re the only state in the country that’s had under 1% margins in 4 of the last 6 presidential elections. Our great Governor, Tony Evers, won by 1.1% in '18. Our awful Senator, Ron Johnson, is the most vulnerable incumbent in the Senate.
In the House, we’re home to one of the seven Congressional districts in the nation where Trump won but a Democrat took the House seat. Republicans only need five of them to get a majority. So winning downballot in Wisconsin is critical too!
Read 8 tweets
Ben Wikler Profile picture
25 May
BREAKING: Republicans in Wisconsin began the legislative special session called by @GovEvers to expand Medicaid… and then ended it after 40 seconds without even holding a vote. Here’s what they refused to fund in their own districts: 🧵
Accepting federal funding for Medicaid expansion—called BadgerCare in WI—would bring $1.6 billion to our state. That would go directly into funding projects benefitting Wisconsinites across the state, *including in Republican state legislative districts.*
These economic development projects include a slew of proposals that Republicans have specifically urged. So let’s make it crystal clear to voters that their own Republican legislators are blocking funds that would benefit their communities.
Read 24 tweets
Ben Wikler Profile picture
24 May
THREAD: @GovEvers has called our GOP-led state legislature into special session tomorrow to accept the federal dollars that come with BadgerCare/Medicaid expansion. This *should* be the world’s biggest no-brainer. But here’s what Robin Vos & the GOP have been saying…
First, quickly, some background: right now, the federal gov’t reimburses Wisconsin for 60% of the cost of Medicaid, which covers ~975k Wisconsinites. If we agree to accept it, that reimbursement would jump to 90% and make another ~90k folks eligible.
The math works out to $1.6 billion in federal dollars coming into our state, in “exchange” for agreeing to expand the population eligible for Medicaid insurance by about 10%. It’s a gigantic win-win. By comparison: state funding for the UW system = $1.2bn/year.
Read 17 tweets
Ben Wikler Profile picture
19 May
GOP House leaders are opposing the bipartisan Jan 6 commission. Why? Partly because they’re afraid it’ll show how GOP politicians who fanned conspiracy theories helped inspire the violent insurrection. Politicians like Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin.
axios.com/kevin-mccarthy…
Van Orden, the Republican who is now taking a second shot at unseating Congressman Ron Kind, wants to shed all responsibility for what happened on 1/6. But facts are stubborn things. He was at the so-called “Stop the Steal” rally. No hiding from the truth.
In November, responding to the election, Derrick Van Orden instructed Republicans to “hold fast,” because there was so much “anecdotal evidence of voter fraud.”
Read 11 tweets
Ben Wikler Profile picture
13 May
ANNOUNCEMENT: You can now officially sign up for the 2021 WisDems State Convention! The theme of this year’s convention is “Badger Bounceback,” and registration is free. Sign up to join us: wisdems.org/registerforcon…
Why “Badger Bounceback”? Because we’re inspired by @GovEvers’ Badger Bounceback agenda! It’s a bold, bipartisan plan to help Wisconsin bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic—and build back even better. Learn more: wisdems.org/the-badger-bou…
WisDems state conventions are major moments for our party. This year, you’ll hear from @GovEvers, @TammyBaldwin, and other special guests to be announced, as well as from state party leaders and elected public servants.
Read 8 tweets
Ben Wikler Profile picture
10 May
WISCONSIN: Last week, we hit 4.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine—thanks to Governor Evers’ leadership! Help us thank him by sending a thank-you note. We’ll hand-deliver them!
wisdems.org/sign-the-card-…
Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has had to face down a GOP-run, anti-science legislature that refused to keep Wisconsin safe. In 2020, the GOP attacked Gov Evers’ emergency powers and stay-home order.
madison.com/wsj/news/local…
In February of this year, determined to undermine the governor, Wisconsin Republicans voted to throw out the state’s mask mandate. When Evers reinstated it, the conservative-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court struck it down.
webmd.com/lung/news/2021…
Read 10 tweets

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