The man federal prosecutors claim planted pipe bombs outside Republican and Democratic Party headquarters before January 6, 2021, is making a desperate bid for freedom – and his lawyers are betting that President Trump's sweeping pardons should apply to his case.
Brian Cole Jr.'s defense team has formally challenged a federal district court's decision to keep him locked up while his case proceeds, according to court filings this week. But here's where it gets interesting, Patriots – his attorneys are now arguing that Trump's blanket January 6 pardons should cover their client too.
As journalist Julie Kelly reported on social media: "Jan 6 Capitol pipe bomb defendant Bryan Cole is going to the appeals court, as he seeks release from pretrial detention. A Cole defense attorney also argues Trump's blanket Jan 6 pardons should apply to Cole."
This raises fascinating questions about the scope of Trump's historic pardons for January 6 defendants. Cole wasn't just another protester who walked through the Capitol – he's accused of planting actual explosive devices. Yet his legal team clearly believes the President's pardons were broad enough to encompass even the most serious alleged crimes from that day.
"Appeal of the retention order … United States v. COLE, 1:26-cr-00001," legal observer @cwychar noted on social media, tracking the case developments.
The timing couldn't be more significant. Just ten days into Trump's second term, we're already seeing how his January 6 pardons are reshaping the legal landscape. Cole's case will be a major test of just how far those pardons extend.
For years, the Biden regime used January 6 as a political weapon, prosecuting Americans while ignoring real threats to our democracy. Now Trump is systematically dismantling that weaponized justice system, but cases like Cole's will determine whether his pardons truly covered every defendant connected to that day.
Will the appeals court buy the defense argument that Trump's pardons were comprehensive enough to free even alleged pipe bombers? This could set precedent for how broadly we interpret presidential clemency power. Patriots deserve to know: did Trump's pardons just free political prisoners, or did they potentially release dangerous criminals too?