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FACT BRIEF

Did Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson visit Russia on the Fourth of July?

By Erin Gretzinger
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YES

In 2018, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson visited Moscow, Russia with a group of seven other members of Congress on the Fourth of July. During the visit, the group warned Russia to not interfere with the U.S. 2018 midterm elections.

Election interference was the main topic the lawmakers discussed with top Russian officials. It was the first congressional delegation to visit Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. The trip was scheduled a month before former President Donald Trump was set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The visit drew criticism because it happened to fall on the Fourth of July; however, to suggest that the trip was a celebration of the American holiday is a misrepresentation of facts.  

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Roll Call After Moscow Trip, Ron Johnson Says Election Meddling Overblown
NPR GOP Senators Spend Independence Day In Moscow
The Hill GOP senators visited Moscow on July 4, warned Russia against meddling in 2018 election: report
Washington Post Republicans on Russia trip face scorn and ridicule from critics at home
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.