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Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson was forced to pull a campaign ad downplaying gun violence following a mass shooting during an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois that claimed seven lives and resulted in more than 40 injuries.
The ad, part of Johnson's reelection campaign, suggested the "latest mass murder in America didn’t involve guns" before going on to refer to the recent deaths of dozens of migrants who died in sweltering heat during a smuggling attempt in Texas.
According to emails detailed by The Intercept, a vice president of sales at Katz Radio Group who helped create the ad requested it be “pulled ASAP” one day after the Highland Park shooting because it "talks about mass shootings, which obviously is not good creative after this past weekend (especially in Chicago).”
You can hear the ad for yourself below.
\u201cSen. Ron Johnson's campaign scrambled to have this planned radio ad downplaying gun violence pulled after the mass shooting on July 4th in Highland Park. They kept it from airing, but it has since been leaked to me.\n\nFull story: https://t.co/MEc1DdMIE0\u201d— Ken Klippenstein (@Ken Klippenstein) 1657219645
The news came shortly after the gunman who fired on the parade procession was officially charged with seven counts of first-degree murder.
While their motive is still unclear, the investigation is ongoing and questions have arisen over why he was able to purchase guns despite his previous encounters with police, including one incident when officers seized knives from him after a relative reported he planned to "kill everyone."
Johnson was harshly criticized for running the ad and for using the deaths of innocent people for political capital.
\u201cIf Ron Johnson is your representative I feel sorry for you! Vote this guy out.\u201d— Beverly Barker (@Beverly Barker) 1657294729
\u201c@RonJohnsonWI For the record, human trafficking, drug trafficking and sex trafficking have been rampant under republican controlled governments also.\nStop lying for votes.\u201d— America In Distress \u270a\ud83c\udffc\ud83d\uddfd\u270a\ud83c\udffc (@America In Distress \u270a\ud83c\udffc\ud83d\uddfd\u270a\ud83c\udffc) 1657246717
\u201cShameful. Absolutely shameful. But sadly, not surprising.\u201d— Tom Nelson (@Tom Nelson) 1657233231
\u201cWowza, @SenRonJohnson has the GALL to tweet about #Wisconsin murder rate when he is out there downplaying gun violence. This campaign has screwed the pooch with their nonsense.\u201d— Persistent Paul \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Persistent Paul \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1657235278
\u201cIt is a nonstop outrage and embarrassment to be represented by Ron Johnson\u201d— Nick Fleisher (@Nick Fleisher) 1653587957
\u201cDumbest campaign ad ever!!! How do you link an open border to people being smuggled into the country in a van...\u201d— Mary Fullerton (@Mary Fullerton) 1657243847
\u201cGotta run those, \u201cthe latest mass murder wasn\u2019t committed with guns\u201d ads within like 12 hours, or they\u2019re no good any more.\u201d— Doer of Deeds \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\udc94 (@Doer of Deeds \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\udc94) 1657245617
\u201cSo looking forward to his being voted out this fall.\u201d— Dr. Shameless Race Mixer Chloe Pear (@Dr. Shameless Race Mixer Chloe Pear) 1657247548
Johnson has a long record of opposing gun control measures.
In 2013, Johnson sponsored a bill to prohibit the Department of Justice (DOJ) from tracking and cataloging the purchases of multiple rifles and shotguns.
That same year, he was one of 12 Republican Senators to sign a letter threatening to filibuster any newly introduced gun control legislation.
According to publicly available information from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence, Johnson has accepted $1,269,486 from the National Rifle Association (NRA), which routinely stymies efforts to address gun violence.