On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi disclosed that the evidence leading to the arrest of a suspect in the pipe bomb incidents at the Democratic and Republican National Committees had been “sitting and gathering dust” at the FBI during the Biden administration.
During a news conference that afternoon, Bondi, along with FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, commended the extensive efforts made to catch the suspects after years of inactivity while Joe Biden was in office.
Brian Cole Jr. was arrested and charged with the placement of pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021. He faces additional charges related to the transportation of explosives across state lines and attempted destruction with explosives, with the investigation likely leading to more charges.
The arrests sparked discussions on the lack of progress under the Biden administration, particularly with FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland at the helm.
Bondi noted that the Trump administration had prioritized the investigation after observing “no movement in our nation’s capital regarding this case” and that “public confidence in our nation’s enforcement agencies has been eroded.”
“This cold case had been stalled for four years until Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino arrived at the FBI,” Bondi stated. “The FBI, along with other federal prosecutors, have been working diligently for months to review evidence that had been with them for up to four years during Biden’s term.”
She stressed that the incriminating evidence was already available to the FBI before Trump took office. “No new information or witnesses came forward. It was simply a case of thorough work done by law enforcement,” she explained.
Patel reiterated that the FBI did not discover any new information, adding that they “reexamined all the evidence and data, which the previous administration had refused to do.”
Bongino suggested that the earlier administration may have intentionally deprioritized the investigation into the pipe bombs, countering claims from Biden and others regarding the bomber’s motivations.
“This is what it’s like working for a president who directs you to pursue real criminals while ignoring other issues,” Bongino commented about President Trump, who also commended Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Patel did not provide further details about the suspect’s motives, but reports indicated that Cole had been planning the attack months before the November 2020 election. This contrasts sharply with the Democratic narrative that suggested the bomber was a Trump supporter reacting to Biden’s victory and Trump’s electoral skepticism.
Even though the evidence was available, the investigation, resumed during Trump’s presidency, faced challenges.
“The effort by the FBI and its partners to identify the pipe bomber was immense,” said Darren Cox, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “We sifted through over 3 million rows of data to find this suspect.” Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Department Commissioner Pamela Smith mentioned that investigators had analyzed “countless, perhaps thousands of hours of surveillance footage” around the DNC and RNC headquarters.
“This case consisted of millions of data points, and it was akin to finding a needle in a haystack, marking a significant achievement,” Pierrot explained, outlining the exhaustive methods used by investigators. She mentioned:
There were 233,000 black end caps of the type used. The FBI needed to sell all of them to find common ground with the individuals, including purchasing the pipe, the end cap, wire, steel, and a 9-volt battery. They underwent repeated analysis until connections could be drawn.
Pierrot expressed confidence in Cole’s conviction, asserting that evidence presented during the trial would be conclusive.
However, while Cole’s arrest marks progress toward justice for the events of that cold week in January, it raises further questions about other potential crimes that may have taken place afterward.
