Thread by @benwikler

🧵Last week, Ron Johnson—who cosponsored national abortion ban legislation EIGHT times—suggested “a referendum” to determine if Wisconsin’s nearly universal abortion ban should be overturned.

Today, Gov. @Tony4WI called a special session to make that referendum possible.

@Tony4WI First things first: Governor Tony Evers is Wisconsinites’ last line of defense when it comes to radical MAGA policies that would further restrict abortion access in the state.

His GOP opponent, #RadicalTim Michels, wants to go even further than Wisconsin’s archaic and immoral 1849 abortion ban. Michels doesn’t even believe there should be an exception in cases of rape and incest.

Not only that, but Tim Michels has actively supported nonprofits that track women visiting health care clinics like Planned Parenthood.
wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/michels-…

It’s scary stuff with very real implications for the women of Wisconsin.

On the other hand, Ron Johnson has been trying to play both sides of this life-and-death issue. Johnson has supported national abortion bans for a decade. But now he’s trying to bamboozle Wisconsin voters.

Ron Johnson’s statement—“I’d rather do it through a direct referendum”—was his way of escaping the fact that his friend Lindsey Graham is trying to pass a national abortion ban.

But now, in response to Governor Evers’s call for a special session to overturn Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban Ron Johnson is saying “we should not rush the debate.”

https://twitter.com/mattsmith_news/status/1572625773730877440

This is the same Ron Johnson who cheered on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade just a few months ago, even bragging about appointing the justices who did so.
upnorthnewswi.com/2022/07/18/ron…

Ron Johnson can’t outrun his history of trying to take away Wisconsinites’ freedom to make their own medical decisions. He knows what he’s done—that’s why he doesn’t want to talk about it less than two months before the election.
jsonline.com/story/news/pol…

Governor Evers responds, in effect, “Okay, Ron Johnson, let’s put it to the people of Wisconsin to decide. Let’s make it possible for citizens to initiate ballot referenda.”

What does Ron Johnson do? He tells voters he doesn’t want to talk about the issue because he knows they will hold him accountable for taking away their freedom to make their own medical decision.

This is Ron Johnson’s pathetic attempt to escape accountability for his own words, actions, and record.

I mean, the guy gleefully voted for the MAGA Supreme Court justices that helped overturn Roe and celebrated their disastrous decision. Now, he’s trying to sidestep his role in ripping away health care freedoms from Wisconsinites.

It’s BS.

Ron Johnson isn’t fooling anyone.

He knew Wisconsin had a near-total abortion ban from 1849—yes before the Civil War—already on the books.

He knew it would go back into effect if Roe was overturned.

He knew all of this and still advocated for Roe v. Wade to be overturned and confirmed the Supreme Court justices who did just that.

Don’t take my word for it—@RonJohnsonWI went on the record and called the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe & reinstated the 1849 ban, a thing of “beauty.” It’s the people of WI who are now forced to deal with the consequences of his actions. Not him.

Don’t like the abortion ban in your state? Ron Johnson says you “can move.”

https://twitter.com/benwikler/status/1542533153906216960

No one should have to move to another state to keep politicians like Johnson out of their own personal health care decisions.

But if Senate Republicans get their way, that’s exactly what will happen.

If Wisconsinites got to make the decision, they would reinstate reproductive freedom in our state. Poll after poll tells us as much. Given his history, it seems that’s what Ron Johnson doesn’t want. The hypocrisy and cynicism is breathtaking.

https://twitter.com/MULawPoll/status/1509176571210391552

Gov. Evers’s proposal would expand democracy in a state where Republicans are hellbent on throttling it.

When voters have the power to decide, as we saw in Kansas, they will choose the freedom to make their own decisions about their lives, their bodies, and their futures.

GOP state legislators will have to come into session this October based on Gov. Evers’s call for a special session. Tell your legislator to support the governor’s call to allow ballot initiatives in Wisconsin. And then make sure Ron Johnson loses to Mandela Barnes on Nov 8!

If you want a Governor who believes in reproductive freedom, democracy, and a Wisconsin where the will of the people is the law of the land, chip in to Gov. Evers’s campaign here:
secure.actblue.com/donate/wisdems…

And if you want a Senator who actually fights for reproductive freedom—and votes nationally to codify Roe—instead of one who votes to take away your rights and then lies about it, chip in to support Mandela Barnes for Senate here:
secure.actblue.com/donate/mandela…