Sen. Ron Johnson pushed back on criticism Monday for hosting an event in Milwaukee with people who said they're experiencing adverse reactions after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Continuing Coverage: Coronavirus in Wisconsin"We are all pro-vaccine," Johnson said at the onset of the news conference.Five people from across the United States, including a 12-year-old girl who was part of the Pfizer clinical trial, joined the Republican from Oshkosh.They described what they said were their reactions to the vaccine, including neurological issues, hospitalizations and heart palpitations. They asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration to investigate. "Why is she not back to normal?" said Stephanie de Garay, from Cincinnati.She is the mother of 12-year-old Maddie, who is now in a wheelchair. "She was totally fine before this," de Garay said.The group, which met and has grown online, was organized by former Packers offensive lineman Ken Ruettgers whose wife said she was experiencing a neurological reaction."We keep fighting the pandemic by getting vaccinated as a society as a collective," Ruettgers said. "But also that there's a collective response to those that are unfortunately the unlucky ones, the small percent that are unlucky."Johnson faced criticism from Democrats, including officials at the White House. "Look around with your own eyes and you can see the hundreds of millions of vaccines that have taken place with a remarkable safety record," Dr. David Kessler said, White House COVID-19 response leader.Johnson, who acknowledged the vaccine has saved lives, also accused federal health officials and drug companies of ignoring potential side effects. "Somebody's got to step up to the plate and tell people the truth that people don't want to hear," Johnson said. Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson released a statement critical of Johnson's event."Sen. Ron Johnson, who publicly confirmed he is unvaccinated, has used his platform today to raise misleading concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine," she said. "The scientific facts about the COVID-19 vaccine remain: it is safe, it is effective, and complications are extremely rare. More importantly, it saves lives. The burden of disease, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID-19 are the lowest the City of Milwaukee has experienced since the start of this pandemic. This is due in part to the hundreds of thousands of Milwaukeeans who have been vaccinated. Without vaccine, our COVID-19 cases would be substantially higher. As leaders and health professionals, we should question the motives of an individual who refuses to be vaccinated hosting a press conference attempting to debunk the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. We urge Milwaukeeans to talk to people they love and trust, listen to the experts and science, discuss questions and concerns with licensed medical or health professionals, and continue to get vaccinated to save lives in our community."Milwaukee Public Schools also released a statement calling Johnson's event a "disinformation campaign.""The county, city, and public school systems are deeply concerned about the well-being of the people we represent. We've been working with health care providers, non-profit organizations, and faith-based communities to promote vaccinations and are dismayed that Sen. Johnson is undermining such efforts," the statement said. "Johnson's disinformation campaign will discourage vaccinations. This is reckless and threatens the health and lives of our entire community.""The more people that get vaccinated, the more protected Wisconsin is from the spread of #COVID19," Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin tweeted. "Vaccines are safe and effective at preventing sickness, severe illness and death from #COVID19. If you haven't been vaccinated yet, protect yourself today. #VaccinesSaveLives"Sign up for coronavirus email alerts from WISNGet breaking news alerts with the WISN 12 app.Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube