J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Identified in Historic Arrest by the FBI

The FBI announced that it has identified and arrested a suspect it believes planted pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol the day before the infamous January 6 riots. The suspect, Brian Cole, planted pipe bombs outside both the DNC headquarters and the RNC headquarters.

The case seemed to sputter to a halt under the Biden DOJ, so it is refreshing to see this new FBI out there getting results. Now we wait to find out more about who this suspect is and what his true motivations were. But while it’s just a start, this arrest could indicate that the current FBI wants to regain the public trust.

So what we know at this point is Brian Cole of Woodbridge, Virginia, has been arrested in connection to the pipe bombs placed at both the DNC and RNC headquarters on the night of January 5, 2021. After we finished today’s broadcast, FBI teams descended on Cole’s Virginia home, gathering evidence. Beyond that, we still know very little about the suspect.

For many, this case has been a sticking point; one of the biggest unanswered questions surrounding the events of January 6. We all remember the images of that hooded figure placing devices outside both party headquarters. We all remember the $500,000 reward. We all remember the lack of answers. And many of you remember feeling like the government simply moved on.

And let’s be clear: These weren’t dummy props or somebody’s idea of a prank. Even Biden FBI head Christopher Wray acknowledged they were viable explosive devices capable of inflicting real harm, despite doing seemingly little to find who left them. One had been planted outside the DNC while Vice President Kamala Harris spoke that morning, and yet the Secret Service somehow missed it. Both were discovered only after the fact.

So, for nearly five years, you’ve had a lot of people on the Right – including Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino – asking the same question pretty much anyone who’s seen this story has been asking for years: How does someone plant bombs at the headquarters of both major political parties and just vanish into thin air?

And now it appears he didn’t disappear at all. Cole was living right outside of Washington, D.C. Woodbridge is basically a commuter suburb. This is not a man who appeared to be hiding in the wilderness. By all appearances, he lived a normal life for nearly half a decade after the devices were discovered. I can only imagine that after a year or two, he must’ve started to think that nobody was on to him; that he’d gotten away with it. And frankly, under the old FBI, he probably had.

Now, does this one arrest magically undo years of dysfunction at the FBI? Of course not. But this could at least stop the slide. It shows movement in the right direction. Although it also raises an uncomfortable truth: Under the Comey-to-Wray era, the Bureau poured massive resources into chasing political targets, appointing Special Counsels, conducting high-profile raids, and, of course, January 6 prosecutions. Yet this case, whether intentionally or not, sat cold, gathering dust for years. It would be nice to know why. 

So yes, this is a big moment. Not just because a suspect has finally been arrested, but because it confirms that the problem with the FBI – maybe the entire DOJ – wasn’t capability but priorities. Now it would appear the priorities are different.

Cole’s arraignment is expected tonight, with a full FBI press conference to follow. And we’ll break all of that down once more details surface. But for today, the headline is simple: There’s finally movement, finally accountability, and finally a sign that the FBI may be getting back to its core mission – law enforcement, not politics.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more reactions to the news that a suspect has finally been apprehended in the J6 Pipe Bomber case. We also discussed the news that, along with the U.S. Treasury Department, House Oversight Chairman James Comer (KY-1) has officially launched a congressional investigation as well, sending letters to Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison demanding documents by December 17 on the billion-dollar heist perpetrated in their state that we discussed earlier this week. And ACLJ Senior Counsel CeCe Heil joined us on the broadcast to inform you about an urgent case we’re engaged in to defend free speech in – of all states – Texas.

Watch the full broadcast below: