Pardon Scope Narrowed for Pipe Bomb Accused | Richmond News

Richmond News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 8, 2026 · 1m

A federal judge just ruled that President Trump’s sweeping January 6th pardons don’t cover a Virginia man accused of planting pipe bombs outside party headquarters the night before the Capitol riot. Brian J. Cole Jr., arrested nearly a year after the pardons, was deemed ineligible because he hadn’t been charged or convicted at the time — the pardons only applied to those directly tied to the Capitol attack itself. His defense argued his actions were connected to the events, but prosecutors and the judge disagreed, emphasizing the pardon’s narrow scope. Cole’s trial remains pending, with his…