PLEA DEAL

Man Seen Dangling From Senate Balcony on Jan. 6 Pleads Guilty

Josiah Colt admitted to mistaking the presiding officer’s chair for the Speaker’s and to obstruction of Congress.

Josiah Colt, the Idaho man seen hanging from the balcony of the U.S. Senate during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of Congress on Wednesday. Colt, 34, said he will work with prosecutors as they mount cases against other participants in hopes of being sentenced to less than five years in prison, the recommended length for his crime. Prosecutors agreed to drop three misdemeanor charges against him in exchange for his cooperation. The federal judge overseeing Colt’s case asked him, “You not only got into the Senate gallery, but you sat in the presiding officer’s chair, which you mistakenly thought was Speaker Pelosi’s chair, is that an accurate summary?” Colt said it was accurate. Colt said he was not affiliated with a militia-esque group like the Proud Boys but did say he worked with two men to raise funds to travel to the Capitol.