Pardoned Jan. 6 ‘Podium Guy’ Running for Office in Florida — Campaign Logo Is Him Parading Around with Pelosi’s Lectern

essentialsaltes said:

Adam Johnson, whose grinning photo carrying then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) lectern through the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 became a viral image from the riot, has filed to run for county commission in Florida — and he’s using that infamous photo as a campaign logo.

According to a report by The Washington Post, Johnson was “apologetic” during the sentencing process and “acknowledged the riot ‘was violent.'”

“There were things there that happened that should never have happened,” he told the judge. “I’m ashamed to have been a part of it.”

“Removing the lectern from the place it was taken from was a very stupid idea,” he added. “Foolish, and something I shouldn’t have done, and I did make a mockery of a very intense and not great day.”

As reported by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Johnson announced he was running for the at-large county seat on Jan. 6, the anniversary of the riot.

The seat is currently held by incumbent Jason Bearden, a Republican, who easily won the primary in 2022 with 61.5% of the votes. Bearden is running for re-election.

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essentialsaltes said:

Adam Johnson, whose grinning photo carrying then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) lectern through the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 became a viral image from the riot, has filed to run for county commission in Florida — and he’s using that infamous photo as a campaign logo.

According to a report by The Washington Post, Johnson was “apologetic” during the sentencing process and “acknowledged the riot ‘was violent.'”

“There were things there that happened that should never have happened,” he told the judge. “I’m ashamed to have been a part of it.”

“Removing the lectern from the place it was taken from was a very stupid idea,” he added. “Foolish, and something I shouldn’t have done, and I did make a mockery of a very intense and not great day.”

As reported by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Johnson announced he was running for the at-large county seat on Jan. 6, the anniversary of the riot.

The seat is currently held by incumbent Jason Bearden, a Republican, who easily won the primary in 2022 with 61.5% of the votes. Bearden is running for re-election.

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Pommer said:

If it’s okay that transgender people ruin sports then this guy’s hijinks are just fine with us.

If he should win, he may become a competent and worthy office holder.
Character counts almost as much as being a character.

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Maria Billingsley said:

Makes for a great SNL skit if it wasn't so outrageous and downright sickening. Christians can't use " he repented" on this one!

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Tuur said:

It's standard for politics.

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Tuur said:

Chuckle. Be that as it may, this is politics as usual. Consider that Lester Maddox used pickaxe handles to prevents blacks from entering his restaurant, then used that as a springboard into politics. Maddox served two terms as a governor and one as lieutenant governor. I'm quite sure that wasn't well received outside of some circles as well, but it happened. IIRC, Maddox and/or his supporters gave away pickaxe handles as campaign favors during his first run as governor.

Horrifying? Offensive? Sickening? Whatever. It's standard for politics. Johnson might well win all because he made off with Pelosi's lectern. And in the words of Walter Cronkite, "That's the way it is."

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Bradskii said:

No. It's really not.

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Tuur said:

I wish you were right. I really do. a lot of these elections come down to simple name recognition. That's why so many "vote for" signs pop up on election day. It's so voters will recognize the name on the ballot and sometimes that's all it takes. Here we have a candidate who's using making off with Pelosi's lectern for that purpose. How many times did that clip of him carrying the lectern show up on the news? So by using it, he immediately addresses the "Who's this guy?" with a single image.

I have the feeling you're not going to like the other reason it likely works. Many won't. It works for the same reason Maddox's pickaxe handles worked: A significant number of his potential voters likely think what he did was funny. Not quite support for the riot at the capitol building, but close enough to it. Let the howls of outrage and chest thumping begin, but that's the way things are.

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Maria Billingsley said:

Transgender individuals didn't break any laws by playing a sport. To equate Adam's actions and subsequent false apology is just plain vile.

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