FBI Admits Uncertainty Over Pipe Bombs as Diversionary Tactic in Capitol Probe

In an official letter sent to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher A. Wray, members of the House Judiciary Committee have demanded a thorough review of the FBI’s investigation into the pipe bomb incidents near the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters on January 5, 2021.

Revolver News collaborated with Congressman Thomas Massie to construct inquiries about the pipe bomb investigation for D’Antuono to respond to. A recently disclosed letter by Jim Jordan provides a hint to some of the remarkable outcomes of this cross-examination. D’Antuono is the same agent who had “strong concerns” about the FBI raid on Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago.

The letter was initiated following the transcribed interview of Steven D’Antuono, former Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, on June 7, 2023. D’Antuono, who oversaw the investigations into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, provided significant insight into the FBI’s approach to the pipe bomb investigation.

During his interview, D’Antuono confessed the FBI was unable to determine whether the placement of the pipe bombs was a “diversionary” tactic for the Capitol attack. He also indicated that the FBI was uncertain about the suspect’s gender, despite claiming to have video surveillance footage of the individual.

Mr. Massie: Well, let me ask you this: Do you think it was technically possible for a kitchen timer . . . that has [a] 1-hour duration . . . to detonate a bomb 17 hours later?

A. No, I don’t. And I saw the same kitchen timer as you. I agree. I don’t know when they were supposed to go off. Maybe they weren’t supposed to go off. We can’t—we don’t know. We honestly don’t know, and that’s some of the pain . . . .

The former Assistant Director also provided information about the viability of the pipe bombs. Despite reports suggesting the bombs were inoperable, D’Antuono affirmed they could explode and cause harm or death. He further admitted that the timer used on the bomb could not have detonated it, given the time elapsed between the bomb’s placement and its discovery.

Among the concerning points of interest were the details about the FBI’s use of geofencing technology to identify the pipe bomb suspect, and D’Antuono’s admittance of not being sure if the FBI interviewed the individual who discovered the pipe bomb at the DNC.

D’Antuono’s testimony, outlining the FBI’s uncertainty and lack of clear procedure in the pipe bomb investigation, has elicited grave concerns from lawmakers. The letter highlights that it has been over 885 days since the placement of the pipe bombs, and despite Wray’s assurances of his “total confidence” in the FBI’s ability to apprehend the subject, the suspect remains at large.

The members of the Judiciary Committee have requested a full briefing about the status of the pipe bomb investigation. They also demanded various documents and information, including FBI reports related to the viability of the pipe bombs, the chain-of-custody logs for the video footage provided to the FBI, transcripts and memoranda of the FBI’s interviews related to the pipe bombs, documents and communications relating to the FBI’s gathering of cell phone records, and information concerning the identification of the individual who discovered the pipe bomb outside the DNC.

Lawmakers have given a deadline of June 28, 2023, for Wray to produce this information. This development underscores the ongoing tension between lawmakers and law enforcement over the handling of investigations linked to the January 6th events.

Read the full letter here.