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House GOP Opens Jan. 6 Reprobe With Hearing Focused on Pipe-Bomb Case

Democrats warn the inquiry could disrupt the active prosecution of suspect Brian Cole Jr.

FILE - Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
The U.S. Capitol is seen at sunset, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 4: A poster reads "ARRESTED" in bold letters as Attorney General Pam Bondi (3rd-R), accompanied by (L-R) U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood, FBI Director Kash Patel, and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, speaks during a news conference on an arrest of a suspect in the January 6th pipe bomb case at the Department of Justice on December 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. Federal agents have arrested a suspect they are charging with placing two pipe bombs, which never exploded, the night before the January 6th, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The new House Select Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, held its first hearing to scrutinize the FBI’s handling of pipe bombs found at RNC and DNC headquarters and the December arrest of Brian Cole Jr.
  • Retired FBI agent John Nantz told lawmakers it was likely the bureau identified Cole before his arrest and suggested leadership priorities under Merrick Garland and Christopher Wray may have shaped the probe.
  • Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, argued the session was premature and cautioned it risks interfering with an ongoing criminal case.
  • Members examined whether President Trump’s broad Jan. 6 pardons could cover Cole if he is convicted, with a former Justice Department prosecutor saying the answer remains unsettled.
  • The court has kept Cole detained pending trial after prosecutors opposed his release, and his next public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28.