January 6 Pardons and Prosecutions

Brian J. Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021 ahead of the Jan. 6 attack, filed a 23‑page motion on March 17, 2026 asking a judge to dismiss the charges on the grounds that former President Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025 blanket pardons — which defense lawyers say, in their plain meaning, cover conduct DOJ has tied to the timing and location of Jan. 6 — bar prosecution. The filing cites pardon language and prior pardons as precedent and argues prosecution would be unjust given the devices did not detonate; prosecutors have said Cole denied in an FBI interview that his actions were related to Jan. 6, the Justice Department has not yet filed a written response, and Cole remains jailed with no trial date set.