REPORT: Ron Johnson made millions from China connection
Reprinted from Heartland Signal
Richard Eberwein, Heartland Signal
According to financial disclosures reported by The Guardian, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) made $57 million since he first ran for public office in 2010, partially boosted by business dealings with China.
Johnson previously served as a top executive for a family-run plastic manufacturer called Pacur in Oshkosh, whose parent company Bemis has done extensive business with China.
“A close examination of Johnson’s financial disclosures and other public filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission, legal filings and other public records reveal that Johnson’s wealth was boosted by his company’s ties to another company that was owned and managed by his family, which in turn grew its business in China, acquired businesses in China, and reported having a loan worth tens of millions of dollars from the Bank of China,” The Guardian’s Stephanie Kirchgaessner reported.
A Johnson spokesperson denied any connection between the senator and both Bemis’ business dealings and a business connection to China.
These business dealings are not consistent with comments made by Johnson where he accused President Joe Biden of having ties to China and his alleged distrust of the communist nation.
Johnson has also repeatedly claimed to support bringing jobs back to America and reduce outsourcing, yet his track record on this front is dicey. Last month the Senate passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which is supposed to incentivize domestic production of semiconductor chips and create more jobs in the U.S. Johnson was one of the 33 senators to vote no on the bill.
Johnson’s campaign website lists growing the economy and creating good jobs as top priorities for his constituents.
Johnson is desperately trying to hold on to his Senate seat against his Democratic opponent Mandela Barnes, who currently serves as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. Barnes has been polling ahead of Johnson by as much as six percentage points.
