For weeks, President Donald Trump has refused to accept the reality that President-elect Joe Biden defeated him in the 2020 election. Instead, he's propped up wild conspiracy theories and frivolous lawsuits claiming widespread voter fraud tipped the election in Biden's favor.
Most of the President's allies in the Republican party are standing by him, either by not acknowledging Biden's victory or parroting the President's claims designed to erode public faith in American democracy.
On Tuesday, when the President's own Attorney General, William Barr, said the Justice Department found no evidence of voter fraud that would've changed the outcome of the 2020 election, but the President's supporters still aren't convinced.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) told CNN Congressional correspondent Manu Raju that he wants to see "proof" that there's a lack of evidence of large-scale voter fraud.
Ron Johnson said the attorney general should “show everybody" his evidence about no mass fraud because “there's enough suspicions" and “irregularities" there
Asked if he's not satisfied with Barr's conclusion, Johnson added: "I think there is still enough questions outstanding"
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 1, 2020
The Bulwark's Mark Becker reacted to this statement in an article detailing a phone conversation he recently had with Johnson, in which Johnson acknowledged Biden was the winner of the election, but that it would be political suicide to publicly break with Trump.
Twitter users scorned Johnson for apparently believing the burden of proof isn't on those alleging voter fraud, but on those pointing out the claims' lack of veracity.
How do you show evidence that fraud didn't happen?
You can't "show" evidence of something that didn't happen.
— Pé (@4everNeverTrump) December 1, 2020
I want to see Ron Johnson's evidence that he's not the zodiac killer.
— Bad Horse (@BadHorseOC) December 1, 2020
I think that @SenRonJohnson teleported into my kitchen last night and ate the last piece of pie out of the fridge, and given my very real "suspicions" and all the "questions outstanding" I demand that he "show everybody" that he did not actually do that. I am not a crank. https://t.co/Ti2OGrpxXm
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) December 1, 2020
How would you... show evidence of something you say there's no evidence for? https://t.co/j2RAeG2rnU
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) December 1, 2020
Show the evidence of no evidence! https://t.co/hfN5Cw1cdN
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 1, 2020
I demand that Ron Johnson prove to us that his crazy ideas are not because of an imbalance of bodily humors or because of a small dwarf living in the pit of his stomach. I am a man of science but we barbers are not gods. https://t.co/hNqhCv5Wiq
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) December 1, 2020
They soon began reminding their followers that Johnson is up for reelection in the 2022 midterms.
Ron Johnson is up for Re-election in 2022 https://t.co/rUcKy8ZS4N
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) December 1, 2020
wisconsin: you have the chance to unseat Ron Johnson, your state's dumbest bitch, in 2022. give Sen. Tammy Baldwin a Jr. Senator worthy of her greatness. i believe in you. https://t.co/pV1B9nmpnz
— Erin We're Screaming Merry Christmas Again Ryan (@morninggloria) December 1, 2020
Ron Johnson will be voted out in 2022. We will all make damn sure of it.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 1, 2020
Despite the "outstanding" questions Senator Johnson believes exist, President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris will be inaugurated on January 20th.
