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A northern Virginia man, identified by federal prosecutors as Brian J. Cole Jr., was arrested in early December in connection with the pipe bombs left outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 5, 2021 — nearly five years after the devices were discovered. The long-awaited arrest brought relief that someone has finally been charged in a case that haunted the country after the Capitol chaos, but it also reopened painful questions about why this suspect eluded capture for so long.
The Justice Department filing alleges Cole admitted to placing the devices and told investigators he was motivated by conspiratorial beliefs that the 2020 election had been tampered with, saying “something just snapped,” according to court papers. Prosecutors also say Cole told FBI agents he placed the devices because he “didn’t like either party,” and that he was “pretty relieved” they did not detonate — damning admissions that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Conservative Americans have every right to be furious that it took so long to bring a suspect to justice in a case that endangered lawmakers, staffers, and ordinary Americans downtown. From the start this investigation was bafflingly slow, with the FBI saying it had chased thousands of leads and reviewed tens of thousands of videos yet still failing to produce an arrest for years — a timeline that demands explanations from career prosecutors and political appointees alike.
Officials now say bank and cell records, along with renewed forensic review, helped move the probe forward — proof that persistence in investigation can work, but also proof that earlier results were insufficient and that the right questions weren’t asked at the right times. Conservatives who watched the chaotic and politicized handling of January 6 want to know whether priorities at the Department of Justice and FBI shifted depending on who was blamed, and why resources didn’t produce this arrest sooner.
Serious patriots are also right to demand transparency in the face of wild theories. Prominent conservatives have raised concerns about anomalies and even suggested the possibility of government sources or bungled handling, and while speculation is not evidence, the public’s distrust is a consequence of years of opaque briefings and partisan leak culture that must be answered decisively. Those alternative narratives deserve one thing: a full, public accounting so Americans can judge facts for themselves rather than be forced to take the Bureau’s word on faith.
Let’s be clear: the devices placed on January 5 were described by investigators as viable and potentially lethal, and they diverted scarce law enforcement resources during a moment of national crisis. Americans of every political stripe should want the person responsible held accountable quickly and transparently, and they should demand proof that federal law enforcement isn’t playing favorites when political violence occurs near the halls of power.
As conservatives, we welcome the arrest — but we will not be satisfied with a single headline or a sound bite. This episode must be an opening for Republicans in Congress, independent watchdogs, and the American people to press for documents, interviews, and oversight so that justice is not only done but seen to be done, and so the federal justice system can rebuild the trust it has squandered. The safety of our capital, and the rule of law for every citizen, depends on accountability without delay or political shielding.
