An infamous Florida man during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, who was photographed escaping House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s pulpit, claims to have played a prank on the media before going to jail.
Adam Johnson, who was about to turn himself in for a 75-day prison sentence for his behavior at the Capitol, allegedly planned to hold a “go to jail” party at a Caddy’s restaurant in Bradenton, Florida.
Steven Ananich, manager of Caddy’s, said he ended the event because it attracted negative attention.
“Caddy’s Bradenton is a waterfront family restaurant that was unaware of the Go to Jail event planned at its location,” Ananich said in a statement. “This event has never been discussed or planned with anyone associated with the Caddy’s brand.”
Ananitz added that the reports led to employees being insulted and receiving threatening emails.
Stay-at-home dad Adam Johnson, 38, who stole Nancy Pelosi’s catwalk during the Capitol riots, was sentenced Friday to 75 days in jail, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community service (pictured: a now viral photo of Johnson carrying a pulpit) Pelosi)
Prosecutors said Johnson was “not just a tourist” but rather “part of the mafia.” Above is Johnson in front of the Capitol sign.
Caddy’s Bradenton restaurant in Florida where Johnson allegedly hosted a “go to jail” party before it was cancelled.
Facebook page allegedly of Adam Johnson, who will go to jail for stealing Nancy Pelosi’s pulpit while breaking into the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Adam Johnson writes in Gab about his supposed party at Caddy’s Bradenton.
The event is still streaming on Facebook and was attended by 41 people.
Johnson, 38, was caught holding Pelosi’s pulpit during the riot and arrested two days later. He pleaded guilty to knowingly breaking into or being in any closed building or property in November 2020.
He is one of more than 770 people in nearly all 50 US states and Washington DC who have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riot.
Johnson, on the conservative social network Gab, said on Friday that the whole thing was just a joke.
“So I threw a public April Fool’s Day party to celebrate my imprisonment and just as I thought the media swallowed the whole story,” he wrote. “Thank God we have reporters covering who’s having parties these days.”
“I was hoping this part would go on a little longer,” he added. “It’s both sad and hilarious that the news was covering this and the internet warriors were thrilled that I would be seeing my family and loved ones before leaving. There is no party. Well, at least not in public.
Johnson (circled in red during the riot) apologized for his actions, saying he was “ashamed” and asked for leniency in light of his cooperation.
Johnson entered the Senate wing with other protesters (left) and was seen in a smoky hallway (right) after the rioters tried to force their way into the House of Representatives chamber.
A stay-at-home Florida father of five, Johnson also received $5,000 and 200 hours of community service, with the judge saying “a message needs to be sent.”
Johnson, who lives in Tampa and is married to a doctor, has apologized for his actions and asked for leniency before the judge passes on what is one of the harshest sentences for a riot-related misdemeanor.
“I’m ashamed to be a part of this,” Johnson told the judge during Friday’s hearing.
He also claimed that if he had met Speaker Pelosi on the day of the uprising, he would have asked her for a photo.
“If I found her, I would ask to take a selfie with her, if anything,” Johnson said. “I have no malice towards her or her office.”
Johnson was detained by Florida authorities days after the January 6 uprising (pictured in his January 8, 2021 photo).
Johnson, who has five sons aged 6 to 14, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to entering and being in a building or restricted area.
The rioter gleefully placed a $1,000 Pelosi podium in the center of the Capitol Rotunda, posed for photos and pretended to give a speech, prosecutors said.
He later boasted that he “blew up the Internet” and “finally became famous”.
Johnson insisted that he was cooperating with the federal investigation and did nothing to cover up the evidence.
Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Johnson to 90 days in prison.
“He was not just a tourist,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Arko told the court. “He was part of a mafia that, in his own words, was trying to overthrow the government.”
Arco played footage from the Capitol showing Johnson trying to open the door of what he believed was Pelosi’s office.
Johnson’s lawyers asked the judge to give him a one-year suspended sentence, plus the days off he spent in jail after his arrest.
Defense lawyers said Johnson did not know the podium belonged to Pelosi when he moved it from the wardrobe.
“Perhaps if he had snagged on some other piece of government furniture for his photo opportunity, jail time would not even be considered,” they wrote in the lawsuit.
According to his lawyers, Johnson and his wife received death threats.
“His wife’s medical practice has suffered financially and some of Adam’s oldest friends no longer speak to him or his family,” they wrote.
U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton said America is on a perilous path when many citizens believe they “have the right to do whatever they want to get whoever they want in the White House.”
“This is what we see in banana republics,” the judge said. “This is what we see in countries like what we are seeing now in Ukraine. This is where we’re heading if we don’t do something to stop this. And I don’t know what we’re doing to stop it.