A spokeswoman for Sen. Ron Johnson claimed that the Wisconsin Republican was not involved in a fake elector scheme and “had no foreknowledge” the electors would be sent to their office, responding to a revelation from the Tuesday hearing of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
“The senator had no involvement in the creation of an alternate slate of electors and had no foreknowledge that it was going to be delivered to our office. This was a staff to staff exchange. His new Chief of Staff contacted the Vice President’s office,” Alexa Henning, a Johnson spokeswoman, tweeted.
“The Vice President’s office said not to give it to him and we did not. There was no further action taken. End of story,” she added in a follow-up tweet.
Henning was responding to a text exchange displayed by the House panel during its fourth hearing on Tuesday, in which Sean Riley, who was identified as an aide to Johnson, texted Chris Hodgson, who was an aide to former Vice President Mike Pence.
“Johnson needs to hand something to VPOTUS please advise,” Riley wrote to Hodgson after noon on Jan. 6, 2021, using the acronym for vice president of the United States.
“What is it?” Hodgson replied.
“Alternate slate of electors for MI and WI because archivist didn’t receive them,” Riley answered.
“Do not give that to him,” the Pence aide said back.
Johnson was not among the close to 150 Republicans who objected to some of the 2020 presidential election results.
The revelation comes as lawmakers attempt to show the role former President Trump played in seeking to pressure officials from states such as Georgia and Arizona — battlegrounds that President Biden ultimately won — to reject Biden’s win.