Unearthed video reveals GOP's Ron Johnson's profane and conspiratorial rant at GOP lunch

Matthew Chapman
July 06, 2021

Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin speaking at CPAC 2011 in Washington, D.C. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

On Tuesday, CNN's KFILE unearthed comments made by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) at a meeting with the Republican Women of Greater Wisconsin luncheon in Wauwatosa, in which he spun profanity-laced conspiracy theories denying climate science.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think climate change is — as Lord Monckton said — bullsh*t," the Wisconsin Republican said, referring to British conservative climate change denier Lord Christopher Monckton. "By the way, it is!"

Johnson went onto lament that "we're killing ourselves" with measures to address climate change, and went on to call them "a self-inflicted wound."

This starkly contradicts Johnson's recent denials that he is a climate science denier.

Asked for comment, Johnson said, "My statements are consistent. I am not a climate change denier, but I also am not a climate change alarmist." There is no basis whatsoever to the claim that scientists are discrediting climate change.

Johnson's remarks come after a catastrophic heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, so severe that it melted streetcar equipment in Portland, Oregon.

Johnson, who is currently mulling whether to run for another term for Senate in 2022, has a history of promoting conspiracy theories. He triggered outrage recently when he suggested that the January 6 Capitol rioters behaved themselves and that the violence at the riot may have been a false flag.