Comedian from 'Anchorman' and 'Mr. Show' pleads guilty in Jan. 6 Capitol attack
Jay Johnston, a comedian with roles on "Bob's Burgers," "Mr. Show" and in "Anchorman," pleaded guilty in a Jan. 6 Capitol attack case.
WASHINGTON — A veteran comedian with roles on “Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” has pleaded guilty in connection with his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Jay Johnston, wearing a gray suit, pleaded guilty to a felony offense of obstructing officers during a civil disorder. “Guilty,” Johnson said when asked by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols how he pleaded. Nichols set a sentencing hearing for Oct. 7 at 10 a.m., asking federal prosecutors to turn in their sentencing memo by Sept. 30 and the defense to turn theirs in by Oct. 3.
After his arrest, Johnston was indicted by a federal grand jury alongside four other Jan. 6 defendants; the government alleged that all five men took part in the battle at the lower west tunnel leading into the Capitol, where some of the worst rioter-on-law-enforcement violence took place on Jan. 6.
The FBI alleged that video footage showed Johnston “handing up a stolen U.S. Capitol police shield to other rioters” and that Johnston “participated with other rioters in a group assault” on the officers protecting the lower west tunnel.
Jay Johnston at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.FBIJohnston was listed as No. 247 on the FBI’s Capitol Violence website, where the bureau posts photos of some of its most wanted rioters from the Capitol attack. The FBI said that a lawyer representing Johnston called the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center in March 2021 to identify him. The bureau said it spoke with three of Johnston’s associates, one of whom provided the FBI with a text message confirming his presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
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