Man Who Took Pelosi's Lectern Sues Manatee County Over Uncollected Legal Fees

Adam Johnson, widely recognized for carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern during the January 6 Capitol riot, has filed a lawsuit against Manatee County and six county commissioners. Johnson alleges that the commissioners acted improperly by not pursuing the collection of $256,807.50 in attorney's fees from the former commissioner and *Bradenton Times* publisher Joe McClash.

The dispute stems from McClash's November 2023 lawsuit against the county, challenging its decision to repeal local wetlands protections that exceeded state requirements. The county’s repeal reduced wetlands buffer zones from 50 feet to 25 feet, a move opposed by many residents concerned about environmental impacts and potential flooding. McClash, who had implemented many of these protections during his time as a commissioner, voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit in April 2024.

Following this dismissal, Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyk ruled on June 5, 2024, that Manatee County was entitled to recover attorney's fees associated with the case. However, after the 2024 election cycle, a newly elected group of county commissioners—some of whom had received endorsements from McClash—voted to forgo collecting the fees.

Johnson's lawsuit names Commissioners George Kruse, Tal Siddique, Carol Felts, and Robert McCann, all of whom received endorsements from McClash. Commissioner Mike Rahn is the only board member not named in the lawsuit, as he did not support the decision to forgo collecting the fees.

Johnson contends that this decision amounts to political favoritism at the taxpayers' expense. He is seeking a court injunction to compel the county to collect the court-ordered attorney’s fees from McClash, arguing that the money rightfully belongs to the taxpayers.

Johnson, a Palmetto resident, gained national attention when a photo of him carrying Pelosi’s lectern during the Capitol riot went viral. He was later arrested and sentenced for his role in the events of January 6, 2021, before receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump.

As of now, McClash has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, and a representative for the county declined to provide a statement.