A Florida man who was convicted and then pardoned by Donald Trump after snatching then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern and posing for photos with her during the US Capitol riot is running for county office.
Adam Johnson filed Tuesday to run as a Republican for an at-large seat on the Manatee County Commission. It was the fifth anniversary of the January 6 riot, when Pelosi was photographed smiling and waving as she left the lectern after being attacked by a pro-Trump mob in 2021.
Johnson told WWSB-TV that it was “no coincidence” that he filed to run for office on January 6, adding: “It’s definitely nice to get the buzz out there.” The logo of his campaign is an outline of a viral photo of him giving a lecture.
He is far from the first person to run for office over the January 6 Capitol attack. At least three ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2024 as a Republican. And there are signs the Republican Party is welcoming more people who were convicted of crimes after Trump pardoned them on January 6.
Jake Lang, who was charged with assault on an officer, civil disorder and other crimes before being granted a pardon, recently announced he is running for the Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio in Florida.
Prosecutors said Johnson lectured in the center of the Capitol Rotunda, posing for photos and pretending to give a speech. He pleaded guilty in 2021 to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor he described in interviews as the equivalent of “jaywalking.”
“I think I exercised my First Amendment right to speak and protest,” Johnson said.
Prosecutors said that after going home, Johnson bragged that he “broke the Internet” and was “finally famous.”
Johnson served 75 days in jail followed by one year of supervised release. The judge also ordered Johnson to pay a $5,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service.
Johnson told U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton at his sentencing that posing with Pelosi’s lectern was an “extremely stupid idea”, but now says he only regrets his actions because of the prison sentence.
Now he says, “I walked into a building, I took a picture with a piece of furniture and I left.”
So far four other Republicans have filed to run in the Aug. 18 primary election in a deeply Republican county. The incumbent is not seeking re-election.
In March 2025, Johnson filed a lawsuit against Manatee County and six of its commissioners, objecting to the county’s decision not to seek attorney fees from someone who sued the county and withdrew the lawsuit. The county called Johnson’s claims “completely baseless and not supported by law.”
Johnson said he objects to high property taxes and overdevelopment in the county south of Tampa and claims current county leaders are wasteful.
“I will be scrutinized more rigorously than any other candidate running in this race,” Johnson said. “This is a positive and good measure for every citizen, because for once in our lives, we will know our local politicians who are working.”
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