Jeanine Pirro Got Curiously Silent about What Brian Cole Did on December 14, 2020
DOJ has submitted its detention memo for accused January 6 pipe bomber Brian Cole.
It largely tracks his arrest affidavit, only includes nifty maps and tables to show how his cell phone movement and his purchases showed his actions in preparation for and laying the pipe bombs.
It also includes details of his Mirandized, videotaped confession.
The description of his motive confirms he was a Trump supporter, but then explains he just planted the pipe bombs at both the DNC and RNC because he hated both parties — it had nothing to do with January 6, the filing claims (without quoting him).
The defendant stated that he does not align politically with his family members and did not tell them that he “was going to a protest in support of [then President] Trump.”
[snip]
When the interviewing agents returned to the defendant’s motive, he explained that “something just snapped” after “watching everything, just everything getting worse.” The defendant wanted to do something “to the parties” because “they were in charge.” When asked why he placed the devices at the RNC and DNC, the defendant responded, “I really don’t like either party at this point.” The defendant also explained that the idea to use pipe bombs came from his interest in history, specifically the Troubles in Ireland. The defendant denied that his actions were directed toward Congress or related to the proceedings scheduled to take place on January 6.
But there are two holes in the detention affidavit.
First, it describes Cole taught himself how to make explosives from YouTube, and used Google Maps to decide where to plant the bombs.
According to the defendant, he learned to make the black powder from a video game that listed the ingredients, and he also viewed various science-related videos on YouTube to assist him in creating the devices.
[snip]
The defendant explained that he had used Google Maps to look up these locations in advance.
Both of those details should show up in a Google warrant.
The detention memo makes no mention of them (or of any Google warrant).
More stunning, the detention affidavit drops a key detail from the arrest affidavit: That he was on Capitol Hill on December 14, 2020.
The FBI has analyzed COLE’s purchase history associated with the Accounts. Between January 2018 and January 2021, COLE made a total of five purchases within Washington, D.C. on or about the following dates: January 13, 2018; January 16, 2018; October 31, 2019; December 5, 2020; and December 14, 2020.
Approximately three weeks before the pipe bombs were placed, on or about December 14, 2020, COLE made a purchase at a restaurant located near First and D Streets, Southeast. The restaurant is located across the street from the entrance to Rumsey Court on D Street, Southeast.
What the detention affidavit does reveal is that — starting on December 15, 2020 — the day after being on Capitol Hill and a full three weeks before planting the pipe bombs, Cole started factory resetting his phone.
A Samsung cellular device was seized from the defendant’s person at the time of his arrest. A forensic review of the device’s contents showed that between December 2020 and December 2025, the device recorded 943 events identified as a “factory reset” or “wipe,” including a “wipe” event approximately three hours before the defendant’s arrest on December 4, 2025.2
2 The first “factory reset” or “wipe” event took place on December 15, 2020. The next such event did not occur until July 15, 2022. From that date, the “factory reset” or “wipe” events occurred at least once a week. On some days, the device appears to have been wiped multiple times in the same day.
The alleged pipe bomber started exercising operational security the day after that trip to Capitol Hill, the scene of his alleged crime.
And now, Jeanine Pirro doesn’t want to talk about the trip he made there at all.
Having a phone on and with him was an opsec fail of the highest order. How un-savvy does one have to be to be ignorant of cell tower geolocation? For half the Bubbas at the capital, sure, but it’s an odd bit of ignorance for him. Not that this pertains his guilt or motive but it is something that make me go, hmmmmm.
Wonder why the next wipe has on July 15, 2022. Maybe it might be due to this headline: “Secret Service Text Messages Around Jan. 6 Were Erased, Inspector General Says” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/14/us/politics/secret-service-text-messages-jan-6.html
He kept buying bomb-making equipment until August 2022. So it could be he had another meeting.
And imagine if someone at the FBI warned him he was going to be arrested and called him (on Signal) that date.
How’s that Dec 14, 2020 date fit with the date when Trump & team started planning the insurrection in White House meetings for real?
Does the defendent have any documented ties with the coup leaders?
I wonder if bomb suspect Brian Cole is on “ suicide” watch.
A euphemism for a “to be suicided” list?
Ok, so he says that he went home that night. I had wondered. But I remain curious whether he will turn up in any other J6-related (including D12) video.
There is much to be confused about. What really has me scratching my head is that he made his own black powder. Why?
In most states, you can walk into a sporting goods store and buy 1 pound cans of black powder (Goex is one type) right off the shelf, and there aren’t any forms to be filled out, whatsoever. The ATF doesn’t track this, because black powder rifles and pistols are not considered firearms, though the maximum amount of powder in an individual’s possession is limited to 50 lbs (!!!!). Muzzle loading, black powder rifle hunting seasons are part of many state’s regular big game seasons.
And that is why making black powder is a really, really weird thing. It is almost as if the guy, to use an old term, was ‘snookered’ into this.
Thanks. Did not know that, but the “how’d he get the powder” is another potential hole in this narrative.
Absolutely correct on black powder
So he paid a restaurant bill on 14th December and started to reset his phone on 15th. How many people was the bill for I wonder?
Or did he have Signal chats arranging the meeting?
The recently corrupted DOJ has been curiously silent on this arrest. I have not seen any reporting recently.
I guess it all seems too pat. Despite all the ways in which this guy seems to be a lone wolf, can it really be a happenstance that he planted the bombs on the eve of January 6? He “snapped” and favored Trump, but he had no connection with others in the conspiracy involved with the riots?