Sen. Ron Johnson's Battle for Transparency: Can We Trust Our Government Institutions?

Jeff Charles reporting for RedState 

The FBI and Justice Department have been under a lot of scrutiny lately over the onslaught of whistleblower testimonies alleging bias and corruption in these agencies.

Actually, let me rephrase that.

These two agencies have been under a lot of scrutiny lately from conservatives and libertarians who have questions about corruption and bias within their ranks. Folks on the left are looking the other way while whistling Dixie.

As more details emerge about these agencies, many are speculating as to how America could go about ridding the federal government of its apparent corruption. During an interview on Fox News with host Maria Bartiromo, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) expressed concern about the difficulty in determining potential misconduct by the Department of Justice and FBI because of procedures they’ve put in place specifically designed to shield themselves from scrutiny and accountability.

The lawmaker called for more whistleblowers to step forward and expose abuses of power within these agencies. Johnson highlighted the stark contrast in the allocation of resources and thoroughness between investigations targeting Republicans or Donald Trump compared to those involving Democrats, suggesting a potential bias.

“How are we ever going to get to the bottom of all of this if the people who are abusing power are still in power?” Bartiromo asked. “It’s the same with the Russia collusion story. All of those people who pushed Russia collusion aggressively are now — I mean, many of them are actually in Biden’s cabinet. Look at Jake Sullivan. He was the one pushing the story for Hillary Clinton. So what are we going to do, and what can you do as an elected official to ensure that this corruption is — is exposed?”

Johnson responded by explaining that Republicans “have to keep exposing the truth.”

He continued:

We need more whistleblowers coming forward. But they have done a really good job of setting up their procedures in the FBI, in the Department of Justice to insulate themselves from scrutiny. I mean, look at the letters that David Weiss sent to Jim Jordan in June 7 — June 7, June 30, basically giving Jim Jordan the middle finger: You can’t investigate us because we have an active investigation. That’s what they always use as an excuse. So they have insulated themselves from scrutiny. It’s very difficult. But one indication of the problem we have, in terms of the multiple-tier system of justice here, is Robert Mueller, in less than two years, spent $32 million on his special counsel investigation on a complete hoax, on a false narrative that the Biden — that the Obama administration knew was perpetrated by Hillary Clinton as a dirty trick, the Russian collusion with Trump hoax, 32 million bucks.

Sen. Johnson rightly points out that federal agencies, such as the FBI and the DOJ, have developed procedures that insulate them from scrutiny. These protections have created an environment conducive to abuses of power and the violation of natural rights. The lack of robust oversight mechanisms perpetuates a status quo that impedes meaningful accountability, allowing bad actors in the federal government to engage in all kinds of malfeasance.

Johnson’s efforts to expose these inherent protections and abuses of power are commendable. Shedding light on the issue is an essential step toward sparking a larger conversation about accountability. However, real change requires a more comprehensive approach that goes beyond individual exposés. It necessitates a collective effort to challenge the systemic flaws in our political and administrative structures.

Unfortunately, this means that reforming the federal government at this point is not possible. The rot has entrenched itself into the system, and even electing a decent president will not be enough to fix it. The government will continue its overreach and abuses as long as state and local governments do not have leaders willing to push back and nullify laws that violate natural rights.

Americans need to rediscover the importance of local governance and understand that electing leaders that are directly accountable to the public is the way to stop overreach at higher levels. Only when there are enough people in these positions can we hope to shrink the size of the federal government so that it can no longer be an intrusive force in the lives of everyday citizens.

Senator Johnson’s remarks have shed light on the built-in protections that federal agencies have established, making accountability a significant challenge. While his efforts to expose these issues are commendable, true change requires a collective commitment to reshaping the political landscape from the bottom up. By actively engaging in local politics, fostering community involvement, and demanding transparency, citizens can pave the way for a more accountable and responsive government. It is through these grassroots efforts that we can build a stronger democracy that upholds the principles of transparency, fairness, and the protection of individual rights.