By John Q. Hosedrinker 
According to sources, Brian Cole Jr., the man charged with planting pipe bombs near the RNC and DNC on January 5th, told the FBI he believed in election conspiracy theories. Cole is cooperating with the FBI and made his first court appearance, facing charges of transporting explosive devices and attempted malicious destruction. Cole’s motive has not been publicly cited by the FBI, but he did speak to the government for “more than four hours” before the court hearing. This occurred before the January 6th attack, which former Special Counsel Jack Smith found was inspired by the spread of false claims about the 2020 election.
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Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories, and that revelation has ignited a firestorm of speculation, hasn’t it? It’s a truly stunning piece of information, and it immediately throws a whole heap of things into question. The fact that the suspect reportedly held these beliefs – the ones that swirl around the false narrative of a stolen election – is a key factor here.
He’s a Trump supporter, and that’s the bottom line, isn’t it? The immediate reaction, and it’s a common one, is a sense of inevitability. Are we surprised? Not really. The narrative often goes something like this: a person is caught in an alleged crime, and then we find out their motivations are rooted in these conspiracy theories, and we end up with this feeling of “here we go again.” And let’s be honest, it’s not a secret that the echo chamber of these false claims is powerful, and it fuels some truly disturbing beliefs.
The possibility of a pardon hangs heavy in the air. That’s a very real concern for a lot of people. Given the climate and the political realities, and with the suspect’s alleged belief system, the thought of a pardon seems almost inevitable to some. The reasoning seems to be that because this man, if proven guilty, was motivated by political beliefs so closely aligned with the former president, it may influence the legal repercussions.
It would be a surprise if the details of this situation remained in the shadows. The belief that this individual was motivated by 2020 election conspiracy theories only serves to reinforce the notion that these theories have real-world consequences. This will only add fuel to the fires of political polarization, and the potential for a complete lack of accountability.
It feels almost like a given that there will be a narrative that attempts to downplay the suspect’s actions. The initial reaction, for some, is to brace for an attempt to shift blame, perhaps painting him as a pawn, or worse, to attribute his actions to outside influences. Some might argue that he’s a scapegoat, a victim of manipulation. I think it would be fair to say that people are expecting to see some sort of blame-shifting spin.
The investigation, and any subsequent trial, will likely become a political battleground, as much as a legal one. The fact that the FBI hasn’t publicly stated a motive is something that’s being noticed. That could be a tactic, or just a matter of protocol. However, given the nature of the alleged crime and the alleged beliefs of the suspect, it will certainly cause suspicion.
The fact that this case is already being politicized, even before the legal process has begun, is, to me, pretty telling. The fact that certain individuals, and certain media outlets, are less willing to fully investigate this is almost a given. Some people may even feel that the system is rigged. The public will see some serious double standards at play.
The fact that the pipe bombs were allegedly made and delivered “near” the Capitol on January 5th, not the 6th, makes things tricky as well, with the very real possibility that Trump’s prior blanket pardons could be a defense. The legal strategy might involve arguing that the actions fall under the umbrella of those earlier pardons. If this is true, his legal team might be aiming for a complete exoneration, regardless of the evidence.
The potential for this to become a precedent-setting case is high. How the legal system navigates this will have a major impact on how similar cases are handled going forward. The outcome, whatever it is, is unlikely to satisfy everyone. The level of distrust and suspicion in the country is just so high right now.
The fact that this situation is happening now makes it even more complex. His lawyers need to explore all the possibilities. The fact that the former president continues to spread misinformation about the election, and could be seen as an influencing factor, could easily come into play here. It could even be argued in court.
Given how much of our society is influenced by those conspiracy theories, it makes perfect sense that something like this is happening. The fact that he was allegedly motivated by the false claims is not the shocking part. The shocking part is the consequences of the lies themselves. It goes to show how effective misinformation can be, and how it can have tragic consequences.
The fact is that we live in a time where a significant percentage of the population believes in election conspiracy theories, and it helps to reinforce the idea that they can act on those beliefs, especially if they are supported by a group of powerful figures. It may very well come to pass that this suspect might well be pardoned, or at the very least, just get a slap on the wrist.