Jan. 6 Lectern Taker Adam Johnson Runs for County Seat

Adam Johnson, the Florida man who gained notoriety for carrying off a lectern from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, announced his candidacy for local office on the fifth anniversary of the event. The 41-year-old father of five and small business owner filed paperwork on Tuesday to run as a Republican for an at-large seat on the Manatee County Commission, located south of Tampa.

Johnson's actions inside the Capitol drew widespread attention after photographs surfaced of him grinning and waving while holding the lectern in the center of the Rotunda, where he posed for pictures and pretended to deliver a speech, according to prosecutors. After returning home that day, he reportedly boasted to others that he had "broken the internet" and achieved fame. He was arrested later in 2021 and charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. Johnson pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor offense and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton to 75 days in prison, one year of supervised release, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community service. During his sentencing hearing, Johnson described taking...