'Sit there and smirk': Sen. Johnson blasts Ellison over deadly protests in Minnesota

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) sharply criticized a Minnesota Democrat during a Senate Homeland Security hearing Thursday, blaming him for encouraging protests that the Republican lawmaker said helped set the stage for the deaths of two activists amid a high-profile federal immigration enforcement operation.

Johnson accused Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison of creating conditions that, he said, contributed to the fatal shootings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

'Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It's sick. It's despicable.'

"Two people are dead because you encouraged them to put themselves into harm's way," Johnson told Ellison during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing.

"A tragedy was going to happen, and you encouraged it. And you ought to feel damn guilty about it."

Johnson's criticism continued when Ellison appeared to smirk, stating: "Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It's sick. It is despicable." Ellison fired back, labeling Johnson's remarks "all lies" and a "nice theatrical performance."

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Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Johnson went on to detail incidents of protester violence and interference that he said escalated the danger for federal agents. "These law enforcement officials have been shot at. Their vehicles have been rammed by some of these 'peaceful protesters,' probably the trained activists. They've had rocks thrown at their vehicles," Johnson said.

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"You've got all these trained activists behind you," Johnson said, "Is it any wonder they're at hair-trigger alert? A tragedy was going to happen, and you encouraged it!"

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