Accused DC pipe-bomber Brian Cole Jr.’s arrest by the FBI came about when evidence in the dormant investigation was resurrected under the Trump administration after it was “collecting dust” during Biden’s entire presidency, officials revealed Thursday.
“That evidence has been sitting there collecting dust. This wasn’t a new tip, this wasn’t some new evidence — this was the hard work of President Trump’s administration, Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters at a press conference.
The case remains under investigation, Bondi said, adding that it “languished” under four years of the Biden administration and that more search warrants are being carried out — with additional charges possible as the case progresses.
“Today’s arrest happened because the Trump administration has made this case a priority,” Bondi stressed, noting that multiple law enforcement agencies spent months combing through evidence to identify a clear lead that allowed the arrest to be carried out “safely and successfully.”
“The total lack of movement in this case in our nation’s capital undermined the public trust of our enforcement agencies. We are working every day to restore the public’s trust. We hope today is a significant step towards that progress.”
Cole, 30, was busted at his Woodbridge, Va., home in connection with planting the pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican National Committees the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in DC.
Here’s the latest on the Jan. 6 pipe bomb suspect
Patel also slammed the Biden administration for letting the evidence go to seed, saying officials “refused and failed” to act on it in a way that would move the investigation forward.
“When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation’s capital, you attack the very being of our way of life,” Patel pressed.
“We will always refute and combat it, we will provide the safest country the world has seen under President Trump’s leadership, and that’s what we did today with great resolve on a case of massive public importance.”
The FBI director said that no new evidence was uncovered in the five-year-old case. Instead, under Bongino’s leadership, the bureau enlisted a new team of investigators and experts to reexamine every piece of evidence and sift through forensic data that generated numerous leads and search warrants.
Authorities said Cole was the man caught on camera skulking around the capital city the night before Joe Biden’s election victory was to be certified by Congress, leaving “viable explosive devices” outside the major parties’ headquarters in Washington, DC.
The video showed him carrying a backpack and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, mask, gloves, glasses and a pair of Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers.
The devices were discovered the following afternoon, at the very time Congress was certifying the 2020 electoral votes and enraged Trump supporters stormed the House and Senate chambers.
“This is what it looks like when you work for a president who tells you to go get the bad guys and stop focusing on other extraneous things not related to law enforcement,” Bongino emphasized.
“You’re not going to walk into our capital city, put down two explosive devices and walk off in the sunset. We were gonna track this person to the ends of the Earth. There was no way he was getting away.”
Cole allegedly assembled his crude explosive devices from items purchased at several retailers around northern Virginia, including eight different Home Depots, as well as Micro Center, Lowes and Walmart, according to the criminal complaint.
The pipe bombs were fashioned from 8-inch galvanized steel pipes closed off with end caps, and rigged with nine-volt batteries and white kitchen items, the feds alleged.
Authorities said Cole placed the pipe bomb at the DNC at approximately 7:54 p.m. on Jan. 5, and at the RNC at 8:16 p.m.
Federal officials did not disclose a motive and remained tight-lipped about the evidence that placed him at the center of their investigation.
Cole was charged Thursday with the use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.
“Today begins the formal process of accountability, where the defendant will begin his journey through the criminal justice system,” DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro told reporters.
“And I pledge to you that the United States Attorney’s Office will take it across the finish line.”
