Sen. Ron Johnson on potential deal with Iran: "Let's see how this all develops"

Key Concepts

• VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System): A national early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines.
• Algorithm Masking: The allegation that the FDA utilized data-mining algorithms that obscured or "masked" safety signals related to COVID-19 injections.
• Judgment Fund: A permanent, indefinite appropriation available to pay legally enforceable judgments against the U.S. government.
• Lawfare: The use of legal systems and institutions to damage or delegitimize an opponent.
• Informed Consent: The ethical and legal requirement that patients be fully informed of the risks and benefits of a medical intervention before proceeding.
• CBER (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research): The division within the FDA responsible for regulating vaccines.

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1. Political and Foreign Policy Stance

• Texas Primary: Senator Ron Johnson declined to endorse a candidate in the Texas race involving John Cornyn, stating he prefers to let voters decide and will support the eventual Republican nominee.
• Iran Policy: Johnson characterizes Iran as an "existential threat" if it achieves nuclear capability. He supports a hardline approach, arguing that the regime holds its own population hostage and that the U.S. must prevent Iran from controlling the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that regional powers are currently realigned against Iran, which he views as a positive development.

2. Government "Weaponization" and the Judgment Fund

• Proposed Fund: Johnson supports a proposed fund—modeled after the existing Treasury Judgment Fund—to compensate citizens who have been victims of government "weaponization" or abuse.
• Justification: He cited the case of Judge Troopus in Wisconsin as an example of "lawfare," where an individual incurred significant legal fees due to government actions.
• Guardrails: Johnson emphasized that the fund must include strict oversight to prevent individuals who have committed violent crimes or acts against police from accessing compensation. He intends to pursue this via a reconciliation bill to fund CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

3. FDA and COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Allegations

• The Core Allegation: Johnson claims that on March 1, 2021, Peter Marks (head of CBER) was briefed that the FDA’s data-mining algorithm for VAERS was incapable of identifying safety signals and would "mask" them.
• Data Findings: Johnson asserts that a new algorithm identified 25 safety signals—including sudden cardiac death, pulmonary infarction, Bell’s palsy, and strokes—that the old system failed to flag. He argues that the FDA continued to use the old system despite being aware of these findings.
• Statistical Arguments:
  • Johnson cites a 55-fold increase in reported deaths per million doses for COVID-19 injections compared to the flu vaccine.
  • He references 39,000 worldwide deaths reported on VAERS associated with COVID-19 injections, noting that 24% occurred within 48 hours of vaccination.
  • He cites the "Harvard Pilgrim study" to argue that VAERS reports represent only about 1% of actual adverse events.
• "Biggest Scandal": Johnson labels this the "biggest government scandal" of his lifetime, arguing that the public was denied the right to "informed consent" regarding what he terms an "experimental gene therapy."

4. Notable Quotes

• "The sooner that regime [Iran] is on the desk of history, the better." — Senator Ron Johnson, regarding the Iranian government.
• "This is the largest, the biggest government scandal in my lifetime because the American people had a right to know." — Senator Ron Johnson, regarding the FDA’s handling of vaccine safety data.

5. Synthesis and Conclusion

Senator Ron Johnson’s position centers on a critique of federal institutional integrity. Regarding foreign policy, he advocates for a firm stance against Iran to prevent nuclear proliferation and regional instability. Domestically, he is pushing for a mechanism to provide financial restitution to citizens harmed by government overreach, which he links to the concept of "lawfare." His most significant focus is an ongoing investigation into the FDA’s monitoring of COVID-19 vaccine safety, where he alleges a deliberate cover-up of adverse event data. He maintains that the government failed in its duty to provide informed consent, and he intends to continue his investigation into the FDA’s internal processes and the reported deaths of children following vaccination.