Adam Christian Johnson

Last updated

Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson mugshot, Florida.jpg
Mug shot of Johnson, c. January 2021
Born
Adam Christian Johnson

Millington, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupations
  • Cook
  • furniture maker
Known for January 6 United States Capitol attack
Conviction(s) Entering and remaining in a restricted building (18 U.S.C. § 1752)
Criminal penalty75 days imprisonment plus a $5,000 fine

Adam Christian Johnson, also known as the "Podium Guy" [1] [2] and "Via Getty", [3] is an American convicted criminal who took part in the United States Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. A photograph of Johnson carrying of the then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern became a prominent image of the attack.

Contents

On February 25, 2022, he was convicted of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and was sentenced to 75 days of incarceration with a $5,000 fine. [4]

Early life, career and politics

Johnson was born in Millington, Tennessee, lived most of his life in Southwest Florida and attended the University of South Florida. In his late teens and early twenties, he was arrested on two separate misdemeanor marijuana charges by Manatee County police. He violated probation in 2005 by failing to submit needed supervision reports. [2] Johnson had listed his occupation as a cook in 2005, [2] and had worked as a furniture maker. [5] He was unemployed at the time of the insurrection. [2]

At the time of the Capitol attack, he had been registered with no party affiliation since 2019, having initially registered as a Republican in Florida's voter registration database in 2002. [6] [2] He voted in the 2004 and 2020 general elections, [7] but did not vote in the 2016 election. [2] Posts on his Facebook page before the attack showed him wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat. [6] He had also derided the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. [7]

January 6 United States Capitol attack

Before the attack, Johnson shared on social media that he would be in Washington, D.C. [7] On the way to the Capitol, he posted selfies on Facebook in an airport with other MAGA supporters. [2] In a rally on the night of January 5, a Washington Post videographer captured him shouting expletives and implying that he did not believe President Biden was legitimately elected. [4] Following the rally, he posted a photo of himself on Facebook with the caption, "Riot!!!" [4]

On January 6, 2021, during the United States Capitol attack, Johnson was at the front of the riot, having sprinted from the "Stop the Steal" rally at the White House after learning of the attack. [4] He spent 35 minutes inside the Capitol, entering three highly sensitive areas of the Capitol according to prosecutors, and was photographed jiggling the handle of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's office suite. [4] He found Pelosi's lectern near a spiral staircase and carried it to the Capitol rotunda. [8] In the rotunda, he was photographed by a Getty Images photographer Win McNamee wearing a Trump themed ski cap and holding the lectern in his right arm. [9] [5] He asked a woman to take pictures of him standing in front of the podium, then left the lectern in the middle of the room. [8] He was then recorded telling the other rioters to use a bust of George Washington to break down the doors to the House Chamber, as well as other encouragement. [4]

In the hours following the riot and the publishing of the photograph, Johnson was nicknamed "Podium Guy" on the internet. [2] He wrote on social media that he "broke the internet" and that he was "finally famous". [4] [10]

The location of the lectern was not immediately known following the attack. [11] The federal warrant for Johnson's arrest stated that "on or about January 7, 2021, the lectern was found by a member of the Senate staff in the Red corridor of the Senate wing off the Rotunda in the Capitol building," and that "according to the House of Representatives’ curator, the Speaker's lectern has a market value of more than $1,000." [12] The lectern would later be placed in the Capitol's Rayburn Room on January 13 for an engrossment ceremony of the House impeachment resolution. [9]

The FBI searched for Johnson following the attack. [11] He was later identified by residents of Bradenton, Florida, through the photos taken of him during the attack, [6] and this was published in The Bradenton Herald on January 8, 2021. [5] He was arrested on January 8 [4] after being reported to the FBI by his acquaintance Allan Mestel, and held in Pinellas County Jail pending charges and on a warrant from the United States Marshals Service. [12] [7] He cooperated fully with federal agents, but had destroyed his photographs and social media accounts before his arrest. [4]

Trial and incarceration

Johnson was charged with "one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; one count of theft of government property; and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds." [11] [9] He was released on $25,000 bond on January 11, 2021. [13]

Federal prosecutors initially asked for a 90-day sentence. [1] [14] On November 22, 2021, Johnson reached a plea agreement and pleaded guilty in federal court to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and prosecutors dismissed his charges of theft of government property and of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. [8] The plea deal also included an agreement on a potential book or "something of that nature" that would be published by Johnson, which gave the government rights to any profit that Johnson acquired as a result of that product for five years. [8] During his trial, judge Reggie Walton recommended he read the books How Civil Wars Start , and The Next Civil War . [4] On February 25, 2022, Johnson was sentenced to 75 days in prison with a year of supervised release and 200 hours of community service, and he was ordered to pay a $5,525 fine. [1] [4] [14] [15] [16]

Actor and political artist Jim Carrey created a portrait of Johnson following the attack, entitled #fuckedforlife. [17] John Krasinski mimicked Johnson carrying the lectern in an episode of Saturday Night Live . [18]

Personal life

Johnson was a stay-at-home father of five boys, and is married to a medical doctor, his second wife. [2] [4] At the time of the Capitol attack, he was 36 and lived in Manatee County, Florida. [7] He went to a Baptist church. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Pelosi</span> American businessman (born 1940)

Paul Francis Pelosi is an American businessman who owns and operates Financial Leasing Services, Inc., a San Francisco–based real estate and venture capital investment and consulting firm. He was the owner of the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He is married to Nancy Pelosi, the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Klete Derik Keller is an American former competitive swimmer. Before retiring from swimming in 2008, Keller won five Olympic medals, including two golds, at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics in the 400-meter freestyle and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

Marina Medvin is an American criminal defense attorney located in Alexandria, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Sund</span> American police officer and memoirist

Steven A. Sund is a retired American law enforcement official, author and public speaker. Sund is a law enforcement veteran with over 30 years of experience in critical incident management and security planning. As former chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, he led the force through significant challenges, including the events of January 6, 2021. Previously, he served as commander of the Metropolitan Police Department’s elite Special Operations Division, managing national special security events, numerous large demonstrations and several high profile critical incidents such as the DC Navy yard active shooter incident and the Holocaust Museum shooting. Working alongside the United States Secret Service, Sund has “protected every living president from Carter to Biden”. Sund served as the tenth Chief of the United States Capitol Police from June 13, 2019, to January 7, 2021. He led the force during the January 6 Capitol attack, after which he faced widespread criticism for the perceived security failures of that day. However, a December 2024 interim report by the Subcommittee on Oversight of the 118th Congress concluded that Sund had “unfairly shouldered the bulk of the blame” and highlighted systemic failures across federal agencies. The report restored his reputation by exonerating him from sole responsibility for the security lapses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Biggs</span> American felon and former Proud Boys organizer (born 1980s)

Joseph Randall Biggs is an American veteran, media personality, organizer of the Proud Boys, and convicted felon for his participation in the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> 2021 attempt to prevent presidential electoral vote count

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-president Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup d'état, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep him in power by preventing a joint session of Congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of the president-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the bipartisan House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours, five people died: one was shot by the Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer who died of natural causes a day after being assaulted by rioters. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months. Damage caused by attackers exceeded $2.7 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Chansley</span> QAnon and January 6 Capitol attack figure

Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, Q Shaman, and Yellowstone Wolf, is an American far-right conspiracy theorist who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, for which he was convicted after a guilty plea on charges of obstructing an official proceeding. He is a supporter of Donald Trump and a former believer and disseminator of the QAnon conspiracy theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Brian Sicknick</span> American police officer (1978–2021)

On January 7, 2021, a United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, Brian Sicknick, died after suffering two strokes the day after he responded to the attack on the U.S. Capitol during which he was assaulted with pepper spray by two rioters. His cremated remains were laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on February 2, 2021, before they were buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

The following article is a broad timeline of the course of events surrounding the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Pro-Trump rioters stormed the United States Capitol after assembling on the Ellipse of the Capitol complex for a rally headlined as the "Save America March".

The January 6 United States Capitol attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office. Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results. A bill was introduced to form an independent commission, similar to the 9/11 Commission, to investigate the events surrounding the attack; it passed the House but was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The House then approved a House "select committee" to investigate the attack. In June, the Senate released the results of its own investigation of the attack. The event led to strong criticism of law enforcement agencies. Leading figures within the United States Capitol Police resigned. A large-scale criminal investigation was undertaken, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opening more than 1,200 case files. Federal law enforcement undertook a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, with arrests and indictments following within days. Over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominic Pezzola</span> American

Dominic Pezzola is an American convicted felon and member of the Proud Boys who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, a violent attack at the U.S. Capitol. He is best known for stealing a police riot shield and using it to break a Capitol window on January 6, 2021, making him the first rioter to breach the building. Indicted in 2021, on federal charges, he was tried in 2023 alongside Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and his key lieutenants, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. In May 2023, following a five-month jury trial, Pezzola was convicted of obstructing a congressional proceeding, assaulting a police officer, and other crimes. He was acquitted of seditious conspiracy, the most serious charge. The jury deadlocked on other charges against Pezzola, including conspiring to obstruct the counting of the electoral votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 commission</span> Failed legislation proposed during the 117th U.S. Congress

The National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, known colloquially as the January 6 commission, was an unsuccessful proposal to create a commission that would have investigated the January 6 United States Capitol attack. On February 15, 2021, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced that she planned to create a "9/11-type commission". The details were initially negotiated by Republican John Katko, and would have consisted of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. A bill forming the commission passed the House of Representatives on May 19, with all Democrats and 35 Republicans voting in support of it. However, it was blocked by Senate Republicans on May 28, with 54 Senators voting in favor and 35 voting against, failing to clear the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criminal proceedings in the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> List of people charged with crimes

The investigation of the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol building is the largest criminal probe in U.S. history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justice for J6 rally</span> 2021 protest in Washington, D.C., U.S.

The Justice for J6 rally was a right-wing demonstration in Washington, D.C., in support of hundreds of people who were arrested and charged following the January 6 United States Capitol attack. It occurred on September 18, 2021. The event attracted 100–200 activists. It was organized by a former Trump campaign staffer. The event was noted for extensive security preparations and concerns over possible unrest.

Corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding is a felony under U.S. federal law. It was enacted as part of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 in reaction to the Enron scandal, and closed a legal loophole on who could be charged with evidence tampering by defining the new crime very broadly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attack on Paul Pelosi</span> 2022 assault in San Francisco, California

On October 28, 2022, David DePape attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of Nancy Pelosi, the 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He beat Pelosi with a hammer during a home invasion of the couple's Pacific Heights, San Francisco residence, leaving him with a fractured skull that required surgery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Meggs</span> American insurrectionist (born 1969)

Kelly Meggs is an American convicted felon who previously led the Oath Keepers' Florida chapter. He was found guilty of seditious conspiracy following his forced entry into the United States Capitol during the January 6 United States Capitol attack. Meggs was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Barnett (Capitol rioter)</span> American convicted for participating in Jan 6 Capitol riot

Richard Morris "Bigo" Barnett is an American convicted felon who took part in the United States Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. A photograph of Barnett with his feet on a desk in Nancy Pelosi’s office in the Capitol building became one of the most prominent images of the January 6 attack.

Kevin James Lyons is an American convicted felon who stole a photograph of Congressman John Lewis from house speaker Nancy Pelosi's office as he participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, for which he was found guilty of obstructing an official proceeding and theft. On July 14, 2023, Lyons was sentenced to 51 months in prison. He was released on August 27, 2024, having serving just over one year.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "US Capitol riot 'podium guy' Adam Johnson gets 75 days in prison". BBC News . February 25, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Munoz, Josh Salman and Carlos R. (January 15, 2021). "After the Capitol riot, one Florida man became 'Podium Guy': Another man turned him in". USA Today . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  3. ↑ Suciu, Peter. "On Social Media 'Via Getty' Accused Of Stealing House Podium". Forbes. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Jackman, Tom (February 25, 2022). "Florida man who paraded Pelosi's lectern around U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 sentenced to 75 days in jail". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Judkis, Maura; McCarthy, Ellen (January 8, 2021). "The Capitol mob desecrated a historical workplace — and left behind some disturbing artifacts". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Munoz, Carlos R. (January 7, 2021). "Man who stole Nancy Pelosi's lectern at U.S. Capitol could be from Parrish, Florida". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Dorman, John L. (January 9, 2021). "Man caught on camera carrying Pelosi's lectern during US Capitol riots arrested in Florida". Business Insider . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Davies, Emily; Jackman, Tom (November 22, 2021). "Florida man photographed with Pelosi's lectern on Jan. 6 pleads guilty". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Robinson, Adia (January 13, 2021). "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern, stolen in Capitol riot, returned". ABC News . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  10. ↑ Sullivan, Dan (February 25, 2022). "Florida man who snatched Capitol lectern during riot gets 75 days in jail". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Pengelly, Martin; Luscombe, Richard (January 9, 2021). "Police arrest man who carried Pelosi lectern and horned Capitol intruder". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  12. 1 2 Pereira, Ivan (January 9, 2021). "Alleged lectern thief, horn-helmeted suspect arrested in connection with Capitol riot". ABC News . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ Pereira, Ivan; Stein, Benjamin (January 11, 2021). "Capitol rioter pictured with Nancy Pelosi's lectern released on bond". ABC News. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Reilly, Ryan J. (February 25, 2022). "Capitol rioter photographed with Pelosi's podium on Jan. 6 sentenced to prison". NBC News . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  15. ↑ Ansari, Talal (February 25, 2022). "Man Who Took Nancy Pelosi's Lectern in Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Is Sentenced to 75 Days in Prison". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  16. ↑ Phillips, Aleks (September 12, 2023). "Full list of Capitol rioters jailed so far, the sentences they are serving". Newsweek . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  17. ↑ Dicker, Ron (January 14, 2021). "Jim Carrey's Cartoon Of Alleged Pelosi Lectern Thief Has An Odd Detail". HuffPost UK . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  18. ↑ Ali, Rasha (January 31, 2021). "'SNL': John Krasinski shares kiss with Pete Davidson, gets 'arrested' for participating in Capitol riot". USA Today . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.