January 6, 2021 The Capitol rioter who is known for resting on the desk of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and leaving a violent message testified Thursday in a criminal trial, and he regretted it.
Richard “Bigo” Barnett told jurors in federal court that he wished he’d never attended the rally, or should have stormed the Capitol building after, he faces eight charges.
“I shouldn’t have put my feet up on the table,” the 62-year-old Arkansas resident admitted. “At the time, I thought it was funny.”
He also apologized for leaving a “nasty note” on the House speaker’s desk that read, “Hey Nancy, Bigo is here” and called him a “biatch”.
The apology did little to satisfy prosecutors, who portrayed Barnett as fundamentally lacking in civic literacy despite professing to be a lover of the US Constitution.
CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane relayed interaction from the courtroom:
“You like the Constitution?” the prosecutor revealed. “Glad!” Barnett replied.
“The first amendment?” the prosecutor asked. “Yes,” Barnett said. “The second amendment?” the prosecutor continues. “Yes,” Barnett said. “Love the Third Amendment?” asked the prosecutor. “Yes,” Barnett said. “What is the Third Amendment?” the prosecutor insisted. Then, after a pause, Barnett admitted, “I don’t know.”
(The Third Amendment prohibits the federal government from using privately owned civilian housing to quarter soldiers without the owner’s consent.)
Pelosi addressed Barnett’s actions on Jan. 6 in an interview last year, saying he had “disrespected the Constitution of the United States” and displayed behavior he would teach his children.
In an earlier court appearance, Barnett’s attorney tried to argue that calling Pelosi a “biatch” should get credit, saying the term is “a slang and less offensive word for ‘dog.'”