The man who was photographed with his feet up on the desk of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was taken into custody in his home state of Arkansas. Richard Barnett, 60, is facing multiple federal charges, including entering and remaining on restricted grounds, violent entry, and theft of public property.
While he admits he took part in the rioting inside the building, he claims he was pushed inside by the mob as he climbed the steps to see what was going on.
"They went to the front door, and they started demanding to be let inside. I wasn't even up there at that point. I was climbing the steps to see what was going on. When I got to the top, they had breached the doors and were trying to get in," Barnett told KFSM.
Barnett then ended up making his way to Pelosi's office and went inside with an American flag, where he was captured in a viral photograph lounging in an office chair with his feet up on her desk.
"I threw my feet up on the desk at that point. I realized some a******* had cut me also, and I bled on her envelope, so I picked up the envelope and put it in my pocket, and I put a quarter on the desk cause I'm not a thief," Barnett told the news station.
After leaving the Capitol Building, Barnett was seen holding the letter from Pelosi's office. He showed the letter to New York Times reporter Matthew Rosenberg but claimed he didn't steal it.
Photo: Getty Images