Johnson Facing Scrutiny After Bombshell Reporting Revealed The Multi-Millionaire “Paid Little In Income Taxes”

Vulnerable incumbent Senator Johnson is facing intense scrutiny after bombshell reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered that the multi-millionaire paid virtually nothing in state income taxes in 2017 –– and refused to tell Wisconsinites why. 

It’s not the first time that Johnson has faced criticism for rigging the tax system. He changed language in the GOP’s 2017 tax scam bill to benefit himself and his big-money donors and special interest friends. 

See what Wisconsinites are reading and watching about their self-serving Senator:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: Multimillionaire U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson paid a mere $2,105 in state income taxes in 2017, despite making big bucks

• How did a multimillionaire like Johnson, who makes $174,000 a year as a U.S. senator, pay only a couple of thousand dollars in state income taxes just a few years back?

• To be exact, state records say Johnson, an Oshkosh Republican, paid Wisconsin a total of $2,105 in state income taxes for 2017.

• For context, a married Wisconsin couple who jointly reported a taxable income of $40,000 — that is, their adjusted gross income minus all deductions and credits — would have had a 2017 state income tax bill of $2,107, two dollars more than what Johnson paid.

• So why the big tax break four years ago? 

• A special one-year deduction? Business losses? Large charitable contributions? Or a tax break as a result of former President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax bill? 

• Johnson’s staff isn’t saying.

Associated Press: Sen. Ron Johnson paid little in income taxes in 2017

• Republican Sen. Ron Johnson paid little in state income taxes in 2017…despite reporting income of at least $450,000.

• Johnson’s campaign provided few details and refused to release his federal income tax returns.

FOX6 News Milwaukee: 

“Republican Senator Ron Johnson in the spotlight tonight over income taxes from 2017.”

WSAW-TV:  

“Senator Ron Johnson paid little in state income taxes in 2017. That’s despite reporting an income of at least $450,000 that year.”

Salon: Sen. Ron Johnson, worth millions, paid almost nothing in 2017 state income tax–and won’t explain why

• Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., paid next to nothing in 2017 state income taxes.

• According a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report released Thursday, the Republican lawmaker paid exactly $2,105 in state income taxes — a staggeringly small amount.

• Johnson’s office has declined to explain the aberration.

• According to Johnson’s most recent tax filing, the senator’s net worth lies somewhere between $16.5 million and $78.1 million, as of last year.

• It isn’t the first time Johnson has been under scrutiny over tax issues. In August, ProPublica reported that the Wisconsin legislator threatened to vote against Donald Trump’s 2017 tax overhaul if the bill didn’t include a provision to “sweeten the tax break for a class of companies…known as pass-throughs” — a classification that allows those companies “to effectively skirt corporate income tax by letting profits directly pass through to owners, who then pay income tax on the gains,” ProPublica explained. Two of Johnsons’ major donors ended up being major beneficiaries of the tax break, which Johnson’s pressure secured. He then in turn voted yes on Trump’s tax plan. 

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