FBI Director Kash Patel, left, said the prior administration "sat on" evidence for four years and failed to make a breakthrough in the case. At right is Brian Cole Jr., the man federal agents arrested for allegedly planting two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committees’ headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images; Department of Justice)
Patel was speaking just hours after the FBI arrested Brian Cole Jr., of Woodbridge, Va., for allegedly planting the two pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic National Committees' headquarters around the same time that thousands of protesters a few blocks away began to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, over the 2020 election results.
Patel argued the bureau under Biden failed at basic law enforcement functions.
"This guy… planted bombs at the United States Capitol on camera," Patel said. "And the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the prior four years couldn’t find him. Completely unacceptable."
FBI RELEASES NEW SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF SUSPECT WHO PLACED PIPE BOMBS NEAR DNC, RNC OFFICES IN DC
Mugshot of D.C. pipe bombing suspect Brian J. Cole. (Department of Justice)
"We can arrest anyone we want. But we worked with our partners at the Department of Justice, the attorney general and the U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, to leverage countless subpoenas and legal processes before we ever decided to hit the House, like we did this morning," Patel said. "And they hit the suspect's place of business."
Cole is charged with use of an explosive device, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday. The FBI arrested Cole in northern Virginia. He will make his first court appearance on Friday in Washington, D.C.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom, David Spunt, and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-director-suggests-sheer-incompetence-negligence-biden-admin-handling-pipe-bomb-case