Armed man who demanded to see Wisconsin governor pleads guilty to misdemeanor

MADISON, Wis. — A man twice brought weapons to the Wisconsin state Capitol building looking for Governor Tony Evers has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

Prosecutors accused Joshua Pleasnick of coming to the Capitol on Oct. 4 and demanding to see the governor while armed with a gun. He was arrested, posted bail and returned to the building that evening with a rifle and a baton hidden in his backpack.

He demanded to speak to Evers again, but the building was closed. He was arrested again and charged carrying a firearm in a public building is a misdemeanor.

Online court records show that Pleasnick, now 44, pleaded guilty to the charge on May 24 and was sentenced to 30 days in the Dane County Jail with work release.

Pleasnick told the Associated Press in a telephone interview about three weeks after he was arrested that he wanted to talk to Evers about why he believed men are not taken seriously when they seek protection orders against women.

He said he thought it was legal to openly carry a gun in a public building and that he had no intention of hurting anyone. He said he had moved to Nebraska and planned to stay away from Evers.

Pleasnick’s attorney, Michael Covey, said Monday that Pleasnick never threatened or intended to threaten anyone and complied with officers.

“He has learned his lesson and is working to rebuild his life,” Covey said.

Court records on Monday listed Pleasnick’s address as Memphis, Tennessee. Covey said Pleasnick had moved several months before entering his plea.

Although Pleasnick was eligible for work release, he is unemployed and has spent his sentence behind bars, Covey added.