Rep. Thomas Massie says an FBI whistleblower warned him the Bureau may have arrested the wrong person in the Jan. 6 pipe-bomb investigation. Brian Cole Jr. was detained last week after authorities cited license-plate and cell-tower links to surveillance footage. Massie relayed the insider's description of Cole as socially isolated and "vulnerable," questioned the FBI's arrest tactics, and said the whistleblower doubts Cole could have planned or executed the plot alone.
Rep. Massie Says FBI Whistleblower Warned Agents May Have Arrested Wrong Man In Jan. 6 Pipe-Bomb Case
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) says an FBI whistleblower contacted him with concerns that the Bureau may have detained the wrong person in the investigation into pipe bombs placed outside Democratic and Republican headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021.
Brian Cole Jr. was arrested last week, nearly five years after surveillance footage showed a masked figure placing explosive devices near party offices in Washington. Authorities have said they linked Cole to the scene using license-plate information and cell-tower records.
In a lengthy thread on X, Massie described the whistleblower's account as the "third disclosure" he has received since Cole's arrest and said it raised doubts about the identification and charges. According to Massie, the FBI insider portrayed Cole as socially isolated and "vulnerable," arguing the man appeared unlikely to be either capable of or motivated to carry out the plot alone.
"He wanders around his neighborhood several times a day while walking a dog," Massie quoted. "He does not interact with anyone" and "his demeanor is detached and vacant."
Massie also relayed the whistleblower's view that Cole may have an intellectual or emotional disability and that such individuals can be susceptible to providing inaccurate or coerced statements. The congressman questioned FBI operational choices during the arrest and search, noting that if the suspect had been building bombs or stockpiling materials, common safety precautions—such as evacuating nearby residents—did not appear to have been followed.
"Not only were neighbors not evacuated during the arrest and search of the alleged bomber's home," Massie wrote, "they were required to remain in their homes."
Massie concluded that the FBI employee who contacted him does not believe the person taken into custody was capable, motivated, or sufficiently engaged with affairs beyond his small circle to have independently executed the Jan. 6 pipe-bomb plot.
Note: The claims relayed by Massie reflect the whistleblower's account as described by the congressman. Authorities have said they possess license-plate and cell-tower evidence linking Cole to the scene; criminal proceedings and formal investigations will determine the strength of the government's case and any responses from the FBI or prosecutors.
