Eyman pleads not guilty in office chair theft case

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Anti-tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman has pleaded not guilty to stealing a $70 office chair from an Office Depot store.

KOMO reports that during a brief hearing Thursday in Thurston County District Court, Eyman mostly stayed silent as his lawyer entered the not guilty plea. The judge set a trial date of April 16 and ordered Eyman not to have any contact with the Office Depot store in Lacey, Washington, where the incident took place last month.

Surveillance video showed Eyman sitting in the chair in the store’s entryway, spinning it around a few times, and then walking it out to the parking lot. Police say he then returned, exchanged one printer and bought new ones.

Eyman said he intended to pay for the chair, but received a call on his cell phone, and became distracted.