Controversial S#!T

The man who mugged for the camera while gleefully carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern has been arrested.

Adam Johnson was picked up Friday night on a federal warrant in Florida, where he lives. The images of the 36-year-old were plastered online and on TV during and after the insurrection, so it wasn't particularly hard to find him.

Johnson reportedly has a wife and 5 kids and is a stay-at-home dad.

BTW ... the lectern and gavel that were initially reported stolen were found ... neither object was damaged. As you know, there was extensive damage inside the Capitol. Pelosi's laptop was stolen after her offices were stormed by the rioters.

One of the rioters who died during the Capitol insurrection was clearly ready for violence, because just weeks before his death he posted a photo of himself with 2 AR-15's with the caption ... "I wish these motherf****** would come to my hood!"

Kevin Greeson, from Alabama, died during the Capitol takeover. So far authorities are only saying his death was caused by a "medical emergency," but they did not provide details.

The 55-year-old was a big fan of Parler, a right-wing site that has just been yanked off the Google Play Store after receiving information the site was used to plan the attack. Apple is also threatening to pull the site from the App Store.

Kevin's family says he did not travel to Washington to engage in violence or rioting. His family says Kevin had high blood pressure and believes he suffered a heart attack.

The founder and lead guitarist of heavy metal band Iced Earth is popular with the FBI these days, because he's now a wanted man.

Jon Schaffer was one of the rioters who stormed the Capitol Wednesday, and it's not like his presence was a big surprise. He's a die-hard Trumper who warned last month during a protest he and others like him were ready for violence if it came to that, and also warned the opposition ... "You're goin' down."

Schaffer is wanted for "unrest-related offenses" in connection with the failed coup attempt.

Schaffer’s involvement in the Capitol riot came a few months after he attended a D.C. Trump rally in November to protest against the election results.

Hansi Kursch, who's also in the band, Demons & Wizards, with Schaffer, was appalled at what he saw, saying ... "We are deeply shocked and our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased. We expressly distance ourselves from any kind of violence irrespective if applied against institutions or persons. The incidents will be thoroughly investigated and the responsible will be brought to justice. We ask for your understanding that in view of the hourly news situation we will not make any further comments at present."

Schaffer's one of the more high-profile rioters, what with being in 3 popular bands and authorities know where he lives ... so it seems the FBI should find him with ease.

The FBI WANTS YOUR HELP in finding these 10 people whom they say are insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol.

The feds want this wanted poster, so to speak, plastered everywhere so everyone can be their eyes and ears to find these suspected rioters in the attempted coup that left 5 people dead.

There were so many people who breached the Capitol the FBI is rolling out its WANTED posters gradually ... catch 10, post 10 more.

The man suspected of placing bombs at the DNC and the RNC headquarters in D.C was also captured on camera by the FBI.

Numerous arrests have already been made, including the guy who mugged for the camera in Nancy Pelosi's office.

The coronavirus vaccine is going to people who are NOT currently on the priority list, but various health experts say ... it's actually a very good thing.

The best way to explain is by example. The Men's Health Clinic in Inglewood, CA is inoculating people who are first on the L.A. County priority list -- health care workers. The clinic has been taking appointments, but there's been a problem. A large number of people with appointments have ended up being no shows. The clinic had vaccines for these folks that were hours away from spoiling. So, their solution ... a waiting list for people who might not be health care workers but were eager to get vaccinated.

A clinic staffer tells TMZ, last Tuesday, for example, they ended the day with 150 unused vials that were about to spoil. Rather than throw them in the garbage, the staff stayed until 11 PM ... vaccinating people on the list and some who just showed up.

One of the people in line ... reality star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd. Ken got vaccinated -- Lisa did not -- because his doctor told him to go to the clinic since he's 75 with 2 underlying health conditions. He waited and got vaccinated.

Now here's the problem ... the CDC, which should be providing guidance to the counties, has done a poor job, so each county is left to its own devices. We contacted 2 dozen places where the vaccine is being administered and the policies are all over the place. L.A. County has guidelines and so does the State of California, and they are confusing.

We've learned there was a meeting Friday where L.A. County Health officials talked about this very problem and agreed that it is better to put the vaccine in people's arms instead of the trash. We're told they're working on developing a clear vaccine distribution protocol STAT.

They would take nonpunitive action against any clinic that chooses vaccination over waste.

As for how to sign up, there's no clear policy. The staffer at the Men's Health Clinic in Inglewood told us there's a waiting list that, as of Tuesday, was 730 people strong. We could not find that list.

By the way ... the staffer at the clinic said anyone who got their first vaccination at the clinic could get the second one as well.

A retired lieutenant was one of the insurrectionists who took over the Capitol Wednesday, and it wasn't hard ID'ing him because of the gear he chose to wear during the invasion.

Larry Rendall Brock is an Air Force vet from Texas who was on the Senate floor during the chaos. He was decked out in body armor, a military helmet and a tag with a Punisher skull. That tag has been embraced by QAnon.

He was grasping zip-ties as he left Nancy Pelosi's office. Brock told the New Yorker he wasn't breaching the Capitol at all ... he says he thought someone had put the welcome mat out for the group. What he didn't explain ... if the group was so welcome, why did they smash windows, overtake the cops and storm the building? As for the zip ties, he said he found them in the building and was holding them to return to the cops.

He also said he came to Washington because "The President asked for his supporters to be there to attend, and I felt like it was important."

As we reported ... at least 2 men inside the Capitol had zip ties, which are substitutes for handcuffs. As you know, Congress was in session at the time of the attempted coup and the members literally fled for their lives. The question -- were they on the verge of becoming hostages, or worse?

Law enforcement also found explosives that were ready to detonate.

President Trump no longer has to worry about character counts or typos in his tweets, because Twitter has deemed him too dangerous for its app ... and booted him PERMANENTLY.

Twitter made the call Friday to ban the outgoing Prez, after temporarily suspending him earlier this week following his comments about the Capitol riots he's accused of inciting.

According to Twitter ... it's now a permanent ban for Trump "due to the risk of further incitement of violence."

The decision comes after Facebook and Instagram also extended Trump's suspensions from one day to indefinite.

Twitter says ... "In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on  Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action."

It then claimed 2 of Trump's tweets from Friday were the last straw in its decision to pull the plug on his account. The first tweet read ... "The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!"

This was followed up by Trump tweeting that he would not be attending the inauguration on Jan. 20.

So, Twitter came to this conclusion -- "Due to the ongoing tensions in the United States, and an uptick in the global conversation in regards to the people who violently stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, these two Tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behavior from this account in recent weeks."

Kyle Rittenhouse -- the teenager charged with homicide in the Kenosha, WI killings -- seems to be flaunting the fact he's no longer in jail as he awaits trial ... based on his t-shirt anyway.

Rittenhouse -- who just turned 18 -- hit up a bar in Mt. Pleasant, WI earlier this week with his parents and enjoyed a beer ... according to our sources. As you can see ... he was sporting a shirt with the phrase, "Free as F***."

If you're wondering how he was allowed to drink alcohol, you're not alone ... but it's actually allowed per Wisconsin law if a person under 21 is with a parent, guardian or spouse of legal drinking age.

Nonetheless, it seems someone was concerned about Rittenhouse's presence in the bar, because the Mount Pleasant PD tells us they got a call about him being there. We're told the caller believed it may have been a violation of his bond agreement.

Cops say they looked into it and learned Rittenhouse was at Pudgy's Pub on Tuesday afternoon with a parent, and relayed the info to the Kenosha County DA's Office. We're told an investigation determined he had not violated his agreement.

As we reported ... Rittenhouse was released from custody in late November on $2 million bail. The money was raised mostly by donors -- including actor Ricky Schroder -- who have lauded the teenager as a patriotic hero.

An Alabama man seemed to be gearing up for mass destruction and murder at the Capitol Building on Wednesday ... at least based on what cops say they discovered in his truck.

Lonnie Coffman has been arrested and charged with possession of destructive devices and carrying an unlicensed gun ... but that doesn't tell the half of it.

According to legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Coffman approached cops and told them he was trying to get to his vehicle -- a red pickup -- the same suspicious vehicle they had received calls about.

Cops say he asked them if they found the bombs, and upon searching his truck ... they found 11 mason jars containing an unknown liquid with a golf tee in the top of each jar, cloth rags and lighters. AKA -- Molotov cocktails.

They also discovered one M4 Carbine assault rifle with rifle magazines loaded with ammunition ... and a black handgun on the front passenger seat. Cops say he also had 2 guns in his pockets when he was detained.

According to the docs ... while questioning him, he told them the mason jars contained "melted Styrofoam and gasoline." ATF officers say this mixture has the effect of napalm.

Coffman's been arrested, and cops say -- based on security footage -- he was seen leaving the vehicle parked near the Capitol building on Wednesday morning.

SoHo 'Karen' Miya Ponsetto's wrongdoing on the other side of the country has finally caught up with her in Los Angeles ... she was just taken into custody.

Law enforcement sources tell us they arrested Ponsetto Thursday in a joint effort by the Ventura County Sheriff and NYPD. We're told she's expected to be charged with attempted robbery for falsely accusing and assaulting a 14-year-old black child.

As we reported, officers from the NYPD were looking for Ponsetto after video surfaced showing the 22-year-old attacking a 14-year-old who she had accused of stealing her cell phone at the Arlo SoHo hotel in NYC. She tried to take the boy's personal phone during the attack, ridiculously believing it must be hers.

Ponsetto left to California shortly after the December 26 incident, laying low with her mom, but was spotted outside a McDonald's just last week.

Ponsetto has a history of run-ins with the law including 2 DUI busts in 2020 and getting arrested with her mom in February for allegedly being drunk in public at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills.

As for the 14-year-old who she attacked, Keyon Harrold Jr., his father tells us the family is seeking trauma therapy for their son.

Ponsetto's attorney, Sharen H. Ghatan, tells us the attack wasn't racially motivated, but instead a result of an anxiety attack. As for her phone ... that was later found in an Uber and returned to her.

Ghatan says she was unaware of Ponsetto's arrest, but says, "Miya has not grasped the severity of her circumstances. She is expressly disregarding advice and has gone rogue."

Ghatan continues, "I had an in-person meeting with Miya today, and after seeing her in person, I was able to determine she is simply unwell. She is emotionally and mentally fragile. I was forced to cancel national interviews due to my concern of her wellbeing and lack of understanding of the process. I am here to guide her as legal counsel - but if she is unwilling to take my advice, there is not much more I can do."

Lindsey Graham belatedly tried distancing himself from Donald Trump Wednesday night after the insurrection, and a group of hecklers just gave Graham even more distance between him and Trump.

The South Carolina Senator was trying to fly out of Reagan National Airport in D.C. Friday morn when he encountered a pack of fervid Trumpers pissed off at him for publicly breaking with the Prez.

As Graham's being escorted by security, he's repeatedly called "traitor" by the angry Trump supporters ... with one woman chanting "Audit our vote!"

Graham continues to get hit with a barrage of insults until he makes it to an exit, and the mob makes it clear ... he's on their s*** list.

As we reported ... Mitt Romney also got the mob treatment from Trump supporters earlier this week on a flight to D.C. The Utah Senator is one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics.

It comes as no surprise after his actions this week, but President Trump is finally saying what we've suspected -- he will not attend the Inauguration of Joe Biden.

It's the first time since Andrew Johnson an outgoing U.S. President will not be attending the inauguration of the President-elect. Trump tweeted, "To all those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration."

Of course, there's still a slim chance he won't even be POTUS by that time, as some members of Congress met after the Capitol riots about invoking the 25th amendment to remove him from office ... and there are impeachment talks again too.

This after Trump was accused of inciting the storming of the Capitol, and his initial failure to condemn the rioters ... instead choosing to say he loved the insurrectionists and calling them special.

If Trump sticks with his plan ... he'll join John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Johnson as the only presidents to refuse to accompany the incoming Prez.

Vice President Mike Pence is expected to attend Biden's inauguration.

"Elizabeth from Knoxville" -- the woman who said she got maced storming the Capitol -- is being accused of using an onion to make it look like she was crying, but there could be a deeper, more ominous reason for the bulb -- that she and others were banking on violence at the Capitol.

Onions are an antidote to tear gas. They can relieve the burning sensation from the gas. It's been reported for several years that onions can be used for this purpose. So the question ... why was this woman armed with an onion?

As we reported ... the woman was interviewed as rioters were making their way into the Capitol Building, and claimed she got pushed out and maced. While crying and talking about a "revolution," she repeatedly kept dabbing her eyes with a towel.

The looming question is whether the invasion of the Capitol was premeditated or not. Did the rioters plan the attack or did it just happen? It's interesting ... if this were just a peaceful protest, why carry an onion?

There is other evidence the plan may have been to invade the Capitol. As we reported, one of the insurrectionists had zip ties ... and given the building was filled with members of Congress, it sure feels like someone might have been thinking in advance of taking hostages.

Race is a big factor in the way cops handled Wednesday's coup, especially when juxtaposed against the way law enforcement dealt with the BLM protests after George Floyd's death .. so says, Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Sheriff Swanson, who famously put down his baton and helmet to join BLM protesters in solidarity this summer in Michigan's Flint Township, joins us on "TMZ Live" Friday to give his perspective on the Capitol riots from the eyes of law enforcement.

He says there's no denying -- as Michelle Obama pointed out -- police handled the situation with pro-Trump protesters much differently than they did last summer with BLM demonstrators.

Sherriff Swanson says the way Capitol Police lines were breached so easily is evidence of personal biases among officers ... and he says if that happened on his watch, he would be handing out pink slips left and right, with an eye toward criminal prosecution.

He also thinks police should be better prepared for protests, and not by loading up on riot gear ... he says it's not about responding to chaos, but getting to know the community. Remember, he did this back in Michigan and was widely praised for it.

Donald Trump was like a roadmap for the protesters who descended on D.C. Wednesday and wreaked havoc in the building that is the hallmark of our democracy, and as a result, he may have a new, non-presidential title -- criminal defendant.

Criminal defense lawyer Mike Cavalluzzi joins us on "TMZ Live" Friday to tick off the possible criminal charges Trump could face for inciting the crowd and encouraging them to wreak havoc in a building that is the foundation of our nation.

Mike zeroes in on the death of Ashli Babbitt, a woman who was part of the insurrection who was shot dead under the Capitol dome. There's something called felony murder ... that's when someone engages in or incites the commission of a violent felony in which someone dies.

The people who committed the initial felony -- even if they didn't fire the fatal shot -- could be charged with murder, and Trump's words and actions over the last 2 weeks arguably triggered the violent attempted coup that resulted in battery on police officers, vandalism and desecrating the hallowed structure.

Mike says Trump's words ... "You'll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong." Well, that could be viewed by prosecutors as inciting a riot.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter wants to see the rioters who stormed the Capitol get more than a slap on the wrist ... she says letting them off easy sends the wrong message.

Bernice King tells TMZ ... she's disturbed the pro-Trump rioters had almost free reign when they laid siege on the Capitol ... a very different reaction from the one her father's peaceful marchers got back in the day in D.C.

MLK's youngest child tells us she's baffled how rioters were able to move through the Capitol without much resistance -- they were in the House and Senate chambers, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, everywhere -- and then they just walked out the front door.

Like Michelle Obama and others, Bernice wonders how the rioters would have been treated if they were Black Lives Matter supporters. She's not really wondering ... she knows.