Instead of fighting for victims of child abuse,
Ron Johnson lobbies against them
MADISON — A new report yesterday revealed that before entering the U.S. Senate race, multimillionaire Tea Party activist Ron Johnson was one of the only private citizens to testify against the bipartisan Child Victims Act – a state legislative bill that received broad support from organizations including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc., Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, Children’s Hospital and Health System, Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (Children’s Trust Fund), Child Abuse Prevention Fund, Child Protection Center, Children’s Service Society Wisconsin, National Council of Representatives of the Voice of the Faithful, National District Attorneys Association, Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin, and Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.
The bill received broad bipartisan support, with 14 original Republican cosponsors, including Ron Johnson’s own State Rep. Richard Spanbauer. It also received the support of law enforcement officials such as the Eau Claire Police Chief, who wrote that the bill “will prevent the cycle of abuse perpetrated by pedophiles throughout their lives.”
Despite the fact that similar legislation identified 300 previously undiscovered pedophiles in California and 170 in Delaware, Johnson testified that “This bill could actually have the perverse effect of leading to additional victims of sexual abuse if individuals, recognizing that their organizations are at risk, become less likely to report suspected abuse.”
According to a story by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Dan Bice, “Johnson had little to say about the victims of sexual abuse in his testimony. ”
“When members of both parties stood to fight for victims of child abuse, Ron Johnson lobbied against them,” said Mike Tate, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “It’s pretty clear that Ron Johnson didn’t bother to listen to both sides of this issue before he felt compelled to argue against children who are victims of child abuse.”
