Ron Johnson Gets His ‘Badger Bribe’ to Vote for Disastrous Tax Cut Plan

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who had threatened to vote against the deficit-exploding federal tax cut plan for the rich and corporations if it didn’t include a special tax break for his company Pacur, has gotten his wish and his office announced Friday morning he will support the plan.

“Ron Johnson was bought off by getting his company a new tax break and he didn’t even hide it,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “If this ‘Badger Bribe’ isn’t a crime, it should be.”

Johnson’s public negotiations centered around his want to have so-called “pass-through entities” receive additional tax cuts. Pacur, the Oshkosh company Johnson co-founded and retains a financial ownership in, is a pass-through entity.

Pacur has proven to be lucrative for Johnson in many ways. For example, he received a $10 million payout of “deferred compensation” from PACUR almost immediately after the November 2010 election in which he was elected to the U.S. Senate. In that campaign, Johnson had given his campaign a $9 million personal “loan” to finance his run.

“Ron Johnson supports the tax cuts for the rich. Ron Johnson supports ending the estate tax for the rich. Ron Johnson supports raising taxes on the middle class and struggling families. And now that Ron Johnson got to wet his beak for his own company, he is willing to vote yes,” said Ross.