6. Ron Johnson

Defendant Ron Johnson worked with co-Defendant James Cooper to assist True the Vote in recruiting volunteer challengers across Georgia before the Senate runoff election. PX 96, 33:6–7, 34:3–9. Johnson focused primarily on counties in North Georgia. PX 96, 33:12–13. Generally, both Cooper and Johnson looked for volunteers from Georgia GOP leadership (i.e., county chairpersons) and other personal or political acquaintances. PX 96, 36:12–16; PX 101, 43:6–11. Johnson disclaims that these efforts constituted “recruitment” and instead indicates that he was merely “giving [TTV] a name that was the county chairman of those counties [with populations under 80,000] for the Georgia GOP.” PX 101, 42:16–43:5; see also PX 46, 8 (“I contacted eligible Georgia voters I knew to ask if they would be interested in bringing a Georgia Elector Challenge in the county in which they live. I gave True the Vote, Inc. the contact information for any Georgia voter who expressed an interest in participating in such challenges.”).

On December 18, 2020, TTV named Johnson as an associate in their efforts to challenge potentially ineligible Georgia voters in the press release on Section 230 challenges. PX 42 (“We are proud to be working alongside patriots from across the Peach State . . . Ron Johnson of Jackson County . . . who led the charge in recruiting hundreds of volunteer challengers across the state[.]”); see also PX 10, 11 (“Ron Johnson assisted with recruiting hundreds of voter challengers across the state of Georgia.”).

Johnson also worked with TTV to submit approximately 1,400 voter challenges in Jackson County before the 2020 general election. PX 101, 20:20–21:5, 24:2–20. Jackson County did not act on these challenges, however. PX 101, 21:16–22:1.

There is documentary evidence of another challenge Johnson submitted on December 19, 2020 for 2,300 voters. PX 101, 73:15–18. Johnson did not recall submitting this challenge and was “surprise[d]” to learn that he challenged over 2,000 voters in Jackson County in December 2020. PX 101, 75:2–13. Johnson suggested that someone else would have been likely to submit a challenge in his name. PX 101, 74:1–75:17 (testifying that he would not be surprised to learn that the Democratic Chair in Jackson County submitted a challenge under his name without authorization).

Johnson also connected Defendant Derek Somerville with Defendant Catherine Engelbrecht. Tr. 1122:9–11; see also Tr. 1153:18–24 (Somerville testifying that there was “overlap” in the people Somerville knew and the people part of TTV’s recruitment efforts for challenges, which was “why Ron Johnson introduced me to [TTV].”). Johnson, however, did not file challenges for the Davis and Somerville list. Tr. 1647:16–18.

Johnson did not testify at trial. Thus, the Court was unable to assess his demeanor. However, much of the evidence submitted regarding Johnson (without objection from Defendants (Tr. 1103:3–7)), most notably his deposition, was subject to cross examination or further inquiry from Plaintiffs. Accordingly, the Court credits Johnson’s deposition testimony and the evidence of his involvement in the TTV voter challenges and will weigh it accordingly.