Sen. Ron Johnson: Democrats can't defend policies, so they attack their political opponents

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., says Democrats are launching smear attacks against conservatives because they cannot stand on their record as Americans sour on crime, the economy and gas prices.

"They can't defend the disastrous results of their policy," Johnson told the John Solomon Reports podcast in an interview that aired Friday. “They can't defend open borders and record high gas prices and 40 year high inflation."

The average price of gas nationwide exceeded $5 per gallon for the first time in history earlier in June

"So all they can do is smear and engaged in the politics of personal destruction," he continued. "All they can do is try and destroy their political opponents. And they're very practiced to doing it. They're very good at it. Yes. And it's very unfortunate."

The Wisconsin lawmaker, who us up for re-election in November, spoke after the House Democrat-led Jan. 6 committee made a number of sensational allegations against Republicans, some that ultimately proved false.

Host John Solomon notably cited the case of Georgia GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk whom the committee accused of leading a tour through the U.S. Capitol to familiarize rioters with the building's layout. Capitol Police completely cleared Loudermilk, asserting that he never even entered the Capitol building with the tour group in question.

Likewise, Johnson was accused of attempting to hand then-Vice President Mike Pence false electoral information from his state, which was hotly contested and a focal point for allegations for voter fraud.

Johnson flatly denied the story and texts showed his staff actually decided not to have the senator deliver an alternate slate of electors to Pence.

The Wisconsin senator explained that he received texts from a Trump attorney attempting to get him to pass a document on Wisconsin electors to Pence, but asserted the attorney also was an "innocent bystander" in the episode.

The lawyer “was contacted because he knew me, they wanted to deliver these because I'm the only guy that can really deliver these to Pence,” Johnson explained.

Johnson’s staff checked with a Pence aide and ultimately decided not to have the senator deliver the documents.

"I never tried to push, never talked to the vice president about this. I mean, my involvement literally, I can only assume probably took seconds. If not, you know, certainly no more than a minute or two. And this got blown into, like I was part of some vast rightwing conspiracy to undermine the election," he asserted. "Nothing could be further from the truth."