“Anchorman” and “Bob’s Burgers” actor Jay Johnston admitted to his role during the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. (Photos from court documents)
An actor featured in such comedies as “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Bob’s Burgers,” and “Arrested Development” admitted to clashing with police during the so-called tunnel battle during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Jay James Johnston, 55, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of civil disorder, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in a news release. He faces up to five years in prison when he is set to be sentenced on Oct. 7.
He was among the throngs of Donald Trump supporters who poured into the area for the “Stop the Steal” rally that day. Many in the rally crowd then marched on the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win.
As Law&Crime reported, Johnston was spotted fighting police in surveillance video at the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol, where rioters tried to violently force their way through a police line to muscle their way into Congress, federal prosecutors said.
Court documents said that Johnston gestured to rioters to come toward the entrance, handed out a water bottle to one of them washing out his eyes, and made his way to the police line. Once inside, Johnston was spotted “handing up a stolen U.S. Capitol police shield to other rioters,” according to an FBI affidavit.
With other rioters calling for the formation of a “shield wall,” the FBI says: “Johnston then participated with other rioters in a group assault on the officers defending the [lower west terrace] entrance.”
“Specifically, several members of the crowd joined together to push against police in a concerted movement,” the affidavit states. “Johnston participated in this concerted movement and pushed along with other rioters for several seconds. At approximately 3:10 p.m., Johnston started walking out of the tunnel.”
Prosecutors say that Johnston, however, quickly reversed course and reentered.
“Thereafter, Johnston joined other rioters in pushing repeatedly against the defending police officers,” the affidavit says. “The rioters coordinated the timing of the pushes by yelling ‘Heave! Ho!’”
The chant was cited by officers who recalled the assaults.
“At approximately 3:13 p.m., Johnston started moving out of the tunnel again,” the affidavit says. “As he exited, Johnston helped carry a stolen police riot shield out of the tunnel, which he handed to another rioter as he exited the tunnel.”
One of his associates provided the FBI with a text message in which Johnston acknowledged being at the Capitol that day, saying, “The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic.”
In December 2021, The Daily Beast reported that Johnston had been “banned” from “Bob’s Burgers,” in which he voiced the character of Jimmy Pesto Sr., over the Capitol riot.
Adam Klasfeld contributed to this report.
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