A House investigation has uncovered multiple security failures by federal law enforcement agencies following the discovery of live explosive devices placed near both Republican and Democratic headquarters in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021.
Two Republican-led subcommittees released an 81-page report Thursday, detailing what they described as “egregious safety and security failures” by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Secret Service that put Kamala Harris, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and several civilians at risk.
The investigation, led by Representatives Barry Loudermilk (R-AL) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), also revealed shortcomings in the FBI’s early efforts to track down the suspect responsible for planting the bombs.
Despite an extensive investigation, the FBI was unable to identify the suspect, and the case stalled after two months due to a lack of credible leads.
According to the report, the suspect, seen on surveillance footage wearing a hooded sweatshirt and face covering, planted two pipe bombs on the night before the scheduled certification of the 2020 election results at the U.S. Capitol.
As of the release of the report, the suspect remains at large, and the FBI is still offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The bombs, which were described as “viable” by the FBI, remained in place for more than 16 hours. They were equipped with 60-minute timers.
The first bomb was discovered by a woman walking to an alley to do laundry around noon on January 6, near the Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters.
A subsequent search led to the discovery of a second bomb outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters while Vice President Harris was inside the building.
The report outlined the failure of the Secret Service to identify the bomb outside the DNC despite conducting a security sweep in preparation for Harris’s arrival.
The report said, “Prior to Vice President-elect Harris’s 11:25 AM arrival, at least ten different USSS agents and two canine units came within feet of the pipe bomb yet never discovered the device.”
One agent reportedly spent five hours near the garage entrance without discovering the bomb.
Additionally, the report revealed that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s motorcade came “within feet” of the pipe bomb.
One person of interest had searched for “pipe bomb DC” on the internet, while another had recently purchased shoes similar to those worn by the suspect seen in the surveillance footage.
The FBI initially worked aggressively to follow leads, but the report states that by the end of February 2021, resources were diverted away from the case due to a lack of viable leads.
The discovery of the bombs, located a few blocks from the Capitol, came just as thousands of rioters breached the Capitol building.
Some conspiracy theories, amplified by figures such as former Rep. Matt Gaetz, suggested that law enforcement may have planted the bombs to distract police resources from the Capitol.
However, while the report did not provide evidence to support this theory, it did criticize the FBI for its vague description of the bombs as “viable,” noting that bomb technicians typically use more precise language to describe such devices.
“Traditionally, bomb technicians deliberately avoid using vague language, choosing instead to refer to a bomb as a ‘device’ if it would ‘function as designed’ or as a ‘hoax,’” the report stated. “In the case of the pipe bombs, it is unclear why the FBI insists on using a vague, non-standard description.”
The findings from the House investigation raise serious concerns about the adequacy of federal law enforcement’s response to the January 6th attacks and the threat posed by these explosive devices.
Despite the FBI’s efforts, the suspect remains unidentified, and key questions about the agency’s handling of the investigation continue to linger.
The report’s revelations about the lack of coordination and the failure to secure critical locations during a volatile time underscore the need for further scrutiny of how the federal government responds to such national security threats.
They didn’t “botch” the investigation they were hiding the fact that they or someone hired by them placed the bombs.
Dude.. It wasn’t botched. Th FBI planted the bombs or one of their stooges. Daahhh !!!
Botching and running cover sure look an awful lot alike.
1500 grandmas rounded up for walking around capital and they cannot find this person, it was an inside job. Camera footage was mysteriously missing like the Epstein case but just for those couple minutes, we were all born last night
They messed up the “investigation” but give them credit for the masterful bomb-placing operation. Biden needs to give hoodie-boy some kind of medal (along with Ashley Babbit’s murderer).
The FBI was the one setting the J6 pipe bombs.. Please stop gaslighting us. we’re on to them..