A Democrat lawmaker claimed that the Biden-era FBI didn’t muck up an investigation into the 2021 pipe bombs planted near the RNC and DNC headquarters, despite Trump administration officials announcing that the suspect’s arrest was not based on “new evidence.”
The Department of Justice revealed that federal agents had finally taken a suspect into custody on Thursday.
The arrest of 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Virginia, immediately renewed scrutiny of how the federal investigation had been handled under the previous administration.
According to an FBI affidavit, Cole lived with relatives and worked in the office of a bail bondsman.
Though details surrounding his alleged activities remain limited, federal officials indicated that they had gathered enough evidence to connect him to the bombs planted on January 5, 2021.
On Thursday’s edition of MS NOW’s “The Briefing,” Rep. Dan Goldman of New York contended that the bureau was faltering under the Trump administration because it had become too entangled in politics instead of public safety.
During the interview, Goldman argued that the agency had been under-performing, claiming it was “doing such a poor job, because they’re so focused on the politics of everything.”
He asserted that this focus was pulling attention away from “the safety and security of the American people,” calling the situation the result of what he described as a “dreadful FBI.”
Goldman also defended the Biden administration’s inability to secure an arrest for nearly five years following the January 6 discovery of “live, active” pipe bombs outside both major party headquarters, and claimed that failure did not indicate mismanagement.
During the segment, host Jen Psaki pressed Goldman about claims from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel that evidence relevant to the case had simply been collecting dust during the Biden years.
Psaki asked whether Goldman believed anything had gone wrong during the previous government’s handling of the investigation.
While crediting the arrest as “excellent investigative work,” he questioned why those involved were connecting the development to President Trump, and blaming Biden for letting the case languish.
He argued that officials there were preoccupied with political battles rather than their responsibilities.
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“I don’t even think their allegations are anything was mishandled,” he remarked. “It’s just the unfortunate reality is that this Department of Justice cannot help but make everything political.”
Members of President Trump’s administration presented a totally different account.
At a press conference featuring Attorney General Bondi, FBI Director Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, and other officials, leaders announced that Cole had been arrested for transporting an explosive device across state lines and attempting to maliciously destroy property with explosive materials.
Officials did not divulge substantial new details about what preceded the arrest, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
They insisted, however, that the case was solved through meticulous police work rather than any sudden discovery.
Bondi underscored that point, stating the arrest wasn’t the result of “a new tip” or unusual lead.
Instead, she said it came from the concentrated efforts of the Trump team. She credited the president and top-ranking officials for making the case a “priority.”
Bongino reinforced her remarks, asserting that under Trump’s leadership, agents were directed “to go get the bad guys and stop focusing on other extraneous things not related to law enforcement.”
Bondi chared that the “cold case” had been virtually dormant for four years during the previous administration, which she said eroded trust in federal agencies.
“The FBI along with U.S. Attorney Piero and all of our prosecutors have worked tirelessly for months sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI with the Biden administration for four long years,” she noted.
Bongino acknowledged that forensic evaluation contributed to the arrest but did not provide additional details.
Patel said investigators believed Cole had “made the bombs” and that he had been charged with placing them near the RNC and DNC buildings on January 5.
Officials also noted that additional charges remained possible and that the case was still in early investigative stages.
Patel pledged transparency, stating that accountability would be delivered in court and that further information would be shared only when appropriate.
An affidavit filed on December 3 detailed how investigators linked Cole to the bombs.
The items used in constructing the devices, including galvanized pipes, battery connectors, wiring, and kitchen timers, were tied to purchases he allegedly made.
Investigators also identified materials such as wire nuts, safety glasses, and sandpaper that may have been used in the construction process.
Cole’s cellphone data placed him near the RNC and DNC headquarters during the time the devices were believed to have been planted.
Surveillance recordings also showed a suspect matching his height and wearing eyeglasses similar to his.
Authorities noted that a 2017 Nissan Sentra registered to Cole had been spotted less than a half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first seen walking.
The timing aligned with when investigators believe the bombs were set in place.
Pirro, who spoke later on “The Ingraham Angle,” described Cole’s day to day life as quiet and uneventful, portraying him as someone who drew little attention in his community.
She said he lived with his mother, frequently wore headphones, walked his dog, and made routine trips to a local convenience store.
Pirro explained that surveillance footage, phone location data, and other evidence eventually guided investigators to the suspect.
Authorities surveilled Cole prior to his arrest. Pirro noted he had a sparse presence online and tended to keep to himself.
She said his closest relationships were with family members and that he had worked limited hours at a bail bondsman’s office owned by his father.
Pirro also revealed that the search of his home uncovered additional components associated with bomb construction. She said he had been buying materials since 2019.
The longtime prosecutor credited President Trump’s administration with energizing the investigation, saying the previous administration had failed to prioritize it.
“This case was solved because of President Trump and this administration making it a priority,” she commented.
“The well-being of any society depends upon whether or not people feel safe. And people feel safe when we do — and we will — make the criminal accountable, and that’s what we did.”
