The Justice Department is seeking to hold Brian Cole’s lawyers in contempt for violating a protective order and publicly posting allegations against former Capitol Police officer Shauni Kerkhoff.
Brian Cole, 30, of Woodridge, Virginia, was taken into custody in December and charged with use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.
Cole initially admitted to investigators that he planted pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, the night before the Capitol riot.
However, Cole pleaded not guilty to the charges this year.
Cole’s attorneys argued that their client is covered by President Trump’s blanket January 6 pardons.
On Wednesday, Brian Cole’s lawyers filed a motion for early return of subpoenas and publicly disclosed information about the DOJ’s review of Shauni Kerkhoff’s alleged role in January 6.
As TGP’s Brian Lupo reported earlier, in a motion filed Wednesday morning, Brian Cole’s lawyers alleged, “according to discovery produced by the government in this case,” “the FBI began investigating, questioning, and covertly surveilling” Kerkhoff “during the time it began investigating Mr. Cole.”
On November 6, 2025, Kerkhoff was interviewed by the FBI and took a polygraph examination.
“She was asked two relevant questions: (1) “Did you place those pipe bombs?” and (2) “Did you place those pipe bombs that evening?” Ms. Kerkhoff failed the polygraph. The FBI polygraph examiner noted Kerkhoff’s “very controlled reaction to the news of her failing the polygraph and seemingly rehearsed responses to the examiner’s questions.”” the motion said.
Cole’s attorneys are now requesting subpoenas for the following information, according to the filed motion:
“A subpoena to Ms. Kerkhoff for:
(a) the video of Ms. Kerkhoff’s dog taken at her home, with her voice allegedly in the background, purportedly from the evening of January 5, 2021, shown to the FBI agents by her or Mr. Dickert in November 2025, and any other photo, video, or audio created on the same device on January 5, 2021;
(b) the identity of the phones on which the dog video was stored;
(c) Ms. Kerkhoff’s employment records from the CIA in her possession, her offer letter from the CIA, and her Standard Form 86 Questionnaire that she completed for the job at the CIA;
(d) documents provided by Ms. Kerkhoff to the government as part of its pipe-bomb investigation;
(e) Ms. Kerkhoff’s home camera records from January 5-6, 2021;
(f) communications between Ms. Kerkhoff and Mr. Dickert from January 5-6, 2021;
(g) the identity of the electronic devices used by Ms. Kerkhoff from December 15, 2020 through January 8, 2021;
(h) documents reflecting Ms. Kerkhopff’s work schedule on January 5, 2021;
(i) communications between Ms. Kerkhoff and family members with a 614-area-code telephone number from January 1-8, 2021;
(j) communications between Ms. Kerkhoff and the government and Ms. Kerkhoff and Mr. Dickert from November 1, 2025 through the present related to her polygraph, the January 5-6 pipe-bomb investigation, and any photo and video purporting an alibi for her whereabouts on January 5, 2021;
(k) documents and communications about services used to wipe publicly-available information about Ms. Kerkhoff; and (1) the phone number and carrier for any devices Ms. Kerkhoff used on January 5-6, 2021 provided by her employer.
Later Wednesday, the Justice Department moved to hold Brian Cole’s lawyers in contempt for violating a protective order.
The motion filed by Brian Cole’s lawyers was removed from the public docket.
DOJ is seeking to hold alleged pipe bomber Brian Cole’s lawyer in contempt for publicly posting an allegation that former USCP officer Shuan Kerkhoff was the true pipe bomber — alongside her home address.
The defense filing, now removed from the docket, discloses details abotu… pic.twitter.com/z5EJV92K8O
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 1, 2026
The post DOJ Seeks to Hold Brian Cole’s Lawyers in Contempt for Publicly Posting Pipe Bomb Allegations Against Former Capitol Police Officer appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.