Internet troll faces trial after Capitol riot plea fizzles

A federal judge has scheduled a trial for a far-right internet troll who balked at pleading guilty to a criminal charge stemming from the U.S. Capitol riot. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan refused to accept a guilty plea by Anthime Gionet on Wednesday after he professed his innocence at the start of what was scheduled to be a plea agreement hearing. Instead, the judge set a March 2023 trial date for Gionet, who calls himself “Baked Alaska.” Gionet is charged with a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside a Capitol building. On Jan. 6, 2021, Gionet streamed live video that showed himself and many others inside the Capitol.