The Brief: Speaker Podium Thief and Via Getty memes began spreading on the internet after a Trump supporter stole the Speaker of the House of Representatives podium from the Capitol on Jan. 6.
DEEP DIVE
Trump supporters took over the Capitol building on Jan. 6. One guy managed to get away with the Speaker of the House of Representatives podium. He brazenly posed for Getty photographers while making his way out the building.
The speaker podium thief is Adam Johnson from Florida.
Adam Johnson of Parrish, Florida has been identified as the man caught in a viral photo stealing a lectern from the U.S. House during Wednesday’s violent mob attack on the Capitol. Why hasn’t he been arrested? pic.twitter.com/QoClQybCT5
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) January 7, 2021
Dude literally walking around w/ the Speaker's Podium but do go on, Fox News pic.twitter.com/nBzIdDlVNd
— Raevlyn Rhue (@raevlyn_rhue) January 6, 2021
The image of Johnson and the podium became a mainstay on the Twitter timeline.
The Capitol security today.
Via Getty #ImpeachTrump pic.twitter.com/Igx16DDdl1
— G.ian (@ggeminidev) January 7, 2021
Some users mistakenly identified him as Via Getty, the watermark from photo licensing company Getty Images.
It says right there that his name is "Via Getty"
— Choco Taco (@mrviper) January 6, 2021
Absolutely losing it over the fact folks think this asshole’s name is “Via Getty” pic.twitter.com/A2e6rmroGD
— Nerd Girl Says (@Rachael_Conrad) January 7, 2021
To be clear, “via Getty” is not a person. It just means that this photo comes via Getty Images. https://t.co/SZY4yQ0AlI
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) January 7, 2021
This alone inspired its own set of memes.
drag queen sister names: Via Getty and Spa Getty
— Frank Costa (@feistyfrank) January 7, 2021
this timeline needs less via getty, more vianetty pic.twitter.com/cyMkqdBfxj
— lambtime (@julp) January 7, 2021
Here’s a Leonardo DiCaprio Django Unchained version.
Via Getty lmfao pic.twitter.com/hyci6zQmx5
— Lagertha 🛡 (@LizOfThenn) January 7, 2021
naming my kid via getty
— izzy (was on the phone with paul schrader) (@newyorkdolI) January 7, 2021
We need to immediately arrest Via Getty and his accomplices Via Reuters and Via Ap https://t.co/yFPWSKZz2P
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) January 7, 2021
And, a new Twitter account.
Um, tell that to @viagetty https://t.co/o9NUKdXYh6
— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) January 7, 2021
Later that day, the speaker podium appeared as a listing on eBay. It’s unclear whether Johnson put it up for auction.
They put the speaker podium on Ebay 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/bAK458NQmW
— Sweet vegetables (@istacksilver) January 7, 2021
According to one internet user, the listing was pulled after reaching $96,000.
I fucking love this country sometimes…
They. Put. The. House. Speaker. Podium. On. eBay!
Lmao 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Started at 400$ made it to 96k before it got pulled!
You can’t make this shit up!! pic.twitter.com/YcjloVkKpO— Thomas (@tjb731) January 7, 2021
At this time, there are no updates on whether Johnson will be charged for stealing the podium.