After at least two mass shootings claimed lives during the Independence Day holiday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) pulled an ad that claimed “the latest mass murder in America didn’t involve guns,” according to The Intercept.
Robert Crimo III, a 21-year-old, allegedly opened fire on dozens at the Highland Park, Ill., July 4 parade. Seven people who were at the parade died from gunshot wounds and dozens were injured, including an 8-year-old boy who was left in critical condition this week. Another shooting in Gary, Ind., claimed three lives.
One of five weapons recovered from Crimo was a legally-obtained rifle purchased in Lake Villa, Ill. This was possibly the firearm used in the mass shooting.
According to The Intercept, Johnson’s recorded campaign radio ad was expected to run Wednesday. After the Highland Park shooting, his campaign “scrambled to keep the ad from hitting the airwaves,” according to emails obtained by the outlet.
In addition to blaming President Joe Biden’s immigration policies for the nation’s “latest mass murder,” Johnson said in the advertisement that “fifty-three people, including five children, were murdered by human traffickers” referencing bodies found in an abandoned truck trailer discovered in San Antonio, Tex.
Johnson also claimed that Biden’s “open border policy” facilitates a “multibillion-dollar business model of some of the most evil people on the planet.”
An executive from Katz Radio Group, one of the companies contracted to produce Johnson’s ad, notified colleagues to suspend the spot Tuesday, The Intercept’s Ken Klippenstein reported.
The day after the shooting, an executive from one of the companies contracted to produce the campaign radio ad, Katz Radio Group, frantically notified colleagues to suspend it. The following emails were provided to The Intercept by a source close to the Katz Radio Group on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisal.
“If you listened to the spot it talks about mass shootings which obviously is not good creative after this past weekend (especially in Chicago),” said an email from Katz vice president with the subject line “URGENT: Ron Johnson orders,” cited by The Intercept.
By Wednesday, a sales assistant at Cumulus Radio Station Group told colleagues in an email, that a representative for Johnson ordered that the ad be pulled “because of the nature of the message and how it’s a little too close to the mass shooting events over the weekend.”
Johnson was first elected in 2010, beating Democrat Russ Feingold, and was re-elected in 2016, per Ballotpedia. The Intercept reported that Johnson previously said he would not seek a third term in office. He is running in the Aug. 9 Wisconsin Republican primary and is aiming to run for re-election to the Senate in November.
According to the Brady United anti gun violence organization, Johnson is one of the members of Congress who have benefitted most from National Rifle Association spending.
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