Federal judge says Trump’s broad Jan. 6 pardon doesn’t apply to DC pipe bomb suspect

A federal judge ruled that Donald Trump’s sweeping Jan. 6 pardon does not cover a Virginia man accused of planting two pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., because the pardon was limited to people already convicted of Jan. 6-related offenses.
Prosecutors say Brian Cole Jr. left viable explosive devices outside the RNC and DNC on Jan. 5, 2021; he was arrested in December, pleaded not guilty, and investigators tied his phone data and security footage to the scene.
U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali rejected the defense’s pardon argument, noting Cole wasn’t convicted (or even charged) when the pardon was issued; the case remains active with a status hearing this week.