Jay Johnston: Actor known for his roles in Bob’s Burgers and Arrested Development pleads guilty to his role in the Capitol attack

Ministry of Justice/Associated Press

This image taken from a video released by the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, which was released and explained by the Department of Justice in the fact sheet supporting the arrest warrant for Jay James Johnston, shows Johnston surrounded by a yellow circle at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

CNN
—

Actor Jay Johnston, known for his roles in “Arrested Development,” “Bob’s Burgers” and other TV shows, pleaded guilty Monday to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Johnston pleaded guilty to one felony count of civil disorder.

Prosecutors allege Johnston was part of a violent assault on law enforcement that took place in the Capitol’s lower west terrace tunnel on Jan. 6. According to charging documents, Johnston took a shield from officers and used it to push against police defending the tunnel.

The charging documents also say Johnston admitted to his involvement in the Capitol attack, texting an aide that the attack “wasn’t actually an attack.” FBI investigators asked the aide to confirm photos showing Johnston at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“The news portrayed it as an attack. It wasn’t. I thought it was turning into that. It was chaos. I was sprayed with batons and tear gas and found it completely unexciting,” Johnson said in the text message.

Johnston is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7 before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.