Alleged pipe bomber argues Trump's blanket J6 pardon also applies to him

The man accused of planting the pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters on Jan. 6 is arguing in court that President Donald Trump's blanket pardon of MAGA rioters applies to him — but federal prosecutors disagree.

According to Meidas Touch's Scott MacFarlane, prosecutors made a filing on Friday seeking the rejection of Brian Cole, Jr.'s motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.

"The defendant claims that his planting pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the major political parties on the night of January 5, 2021, is conduct for which he was preemptively pardoned under President Trump's January 20, 2025, presidential proclamation concerning the events of January 6, 2021," said the filing. "The defendant ignores that the proclamation expressly limited relief to individuals who had been 'convicted of,' or had a 'pending indictment' for, offenses related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6. On January 20, 2025, the defendant belonged to neither category, and so the proclamation has no bearing on this case."

"Moreover, the defendant's January 5 offenses were not, as the proclamation required, 'related to' events at or near the United States Capitol 'on January 6,'" the prosecutors continued. "And even if the proclamation somehow could apply to this case, the Department of Justice's contrary position is entitled to deference as a reasonable interpretation taken by the Executive Branch agency expressly charged with administering the proclamation."

"Any one of these independent grounds is sufficient to deny the motion," the prosecutors wrote. "The Court should rely on all three."

This comes around two weeks after federal prosecutors moved for a contempt of court judgment against Cole's attorney for doxing a Capitol Police officer whom numerous people in right-wing internet circles initially falsely identified as the suspect.