Newly filed court documents reveal the FBI once investigated a former U.S. Capitol Police officer, now with the CIA, as a person of interest in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case before charging another suspect. Defense lawyers for accused bomber Brian Cole Jr. say the FBI’s probe of Shauni Kerkhoff included surveillance, subpoenas, and a failed polygraph, but the lead was closed about a month after Cole’s arrest
6 pipe bomb case before charging another suspect
Newly filed court documents reveal the FBI once investigated a former U.S. Capitol Police officer, now with the CIA, as a person of interest in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case before charging another suspect. Defense lawyers for accused bomber Brian Cole Jr. say the FBI’s probe of Shauni Kerkhoff included surveillance, subpoenas, and a failed polygraph, but the lead was closed about a month after Cole’s arrest.
The disclosure raises fresh questions about investigative gaps and unresolved aspects of the long-running case, which remains among the Justice Department’s most perplexing Jan. 6 investigations, said reports, including one from the Washington Examiner.
Defense filings reveal that Shauni Kerkhoff, a former Capitol Police officer now working for the CIA, was quietly investigated as a person of interest in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case. The FBI’s inquiry, which began around the same time agents built their case against Cole, involved a polygraph test, surveillance, subpoenas for electronic accounts, and interviews with associates.
The defense claims Kerkhoff failed the polygraph, though she has denied planting the bombs, and the FBI closed the lead about a month after Cole’s arrest, said the reports.
More than five years after the Jan. 6 riot, the pipe bomb case remains one of the Justice Department’s most perplexing open questions. Prosecutors have expressed confidence in Cole as the suspect, but have yet to present a clear motive or explain how the bomber evaded detection despite extensive surveillance footage, cell phone data analysis, and retail purchase tracing.
Broader national crime data shows that while overall violent crime rates have been declining, complex, high-profile cases like this can defy those trends due to investigative challenges and the rarity of such incidents, the Examiner added.
Cole’s attorneys are seeking subpoenas for Kerkhoff, her boyfriend, and a podiatrist tied to gait
Cole’s attorneys are seeking subpoenas for Kerkhoff, her boyfriend, and a podiatrist tied to gait analysis evidence, aiming to argue she—not Cole—planted the bombs. They contend the FBI’s prior investigation into Kerkhoff is critical to presenting reasonable doubt.
The defense filings mimic tactics in other serious cases, where alternative suspect theories are used to challenge the prosecution’s narrative and highlight potential investigative oversights, reports said.
If the court grants subpoenas and the defense presents credible evidence implicating Kerkhoff, the trial could shift toward a contested battle over investigative integrity, potentially forcing the FBI to disclose sensitive internal deliberations.
Alternatively, if prosecutors successfully exclude such evidence, the case may proceed narrowly on existing charges against Cole, leaving public questions about early leads unanswered. Either outcome could shape future oversight of politically sensitive investigations and influence law enforcement strategies in similarly complex, unresolved cases, said the reports.
Meanwhile, a newly disclosed Senate memo shows then–Attorney General Merrick Garland was informed in early 2023 of then-Special Counsel Jack Smith’s plans to obtain communications from Trump allies, including members of Congress, despite violating potential legal privileges.
The revelation comes as state leaders warn of possible federal overreach in the upcoming 2026
The revelation comes as state leaders warn of possible federal overreach in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, with some legislatures moving to bar armed federal agents from polling sites. The developments highlight growing clashes over election integrity, constitutional authority, and the balance of state versus federal control ahead of the midterms.
A Justice Department briefing memo from Smith’s office informed Garland that prosecutors intended to obtain communications from multiple Trump lawyers, allies, and members of Congress despite likely attorney-client and Speech or Debate Clause protections.
Released by Senate Judiciary Republicans, the document outlined plans to subpoena toll records, challenge executive privilege claims, and coordinate with the solicitor general on precedent-setting issues. It also described meetings with Biden administration officials and FBI leadership, and the incorporation of the January 6 committee’s report into investigative strategy.
Garland’s documented knowledge of Smith’s investigative tactics ties senior Biden-era DOJ leadership more directly to high-profile decisions targeting Trump and GOP lawmakers, Just the News reported.
Republicans have accused Smith and the FBI of influencing elections by pursuing charges ahead of the 2024 election, while Garland had already approved the FBI’s raid of Mar-a-Lago and signed off on the “Arctic Frost” probe targeting Republicans and Trump allies.
