FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino brushed off questions about his past claims that the FBI had covered up the identity of the person who placed pipe bombs outside of political party headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021.

In a Dec. 4 interview following the arrest and identification of a man accused of being the would-be bomber, Fox News’ Sean Hannity reminded Bongino, his former colleague, of his past social media and podcast comments. Bongino said the FBI was “pretty comfortable we have our guy.”

“Listen I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions,” Bongino said. “That’s clear. And one day I will be back in that space, but that’s not what I’m paid for now. I’m paid to be your deputy director, and we base investigations on facts.”

On Dec. 4, the Justice Department announced in a news conference they had arrested Brian Jerome Cole Jr., 30, of Northern Virginia.

Before being picked as deputy director, Bongino suggested in a January 2024 episode of his podcast that the FBI knew the name of the pipe bomb suspect but “just doesn’t want to tell us, because it was an inside job.”

The pipe bombs were placed near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees on the night of Jan. 5, 2021, the FBI previously said. The explosives did not detonate, but were viable.

During their years as far-right media personalities and podcasters Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel repeatedly cast doubt on the investigation into the pipe bombs found outside the facilities, specifically the one found at the Democratic National Committee headquarters because Kamala Harris, who was then-vice president-elect, was at the facility.

“I have zero doubt it was a setup,” Bongino said on his show in January 2024. “Was it government? I don't know. I'm not going to speculate on who did it. Someone who hated Donald Trump planted those bombs there.”

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September, Patel defended himself and Bongino as being “private citizens” when those comments were made.

“What we have the ability to do is set aside our personal beliefs to deliver the mission of justice for this country, and we're doing it day in and day out,” he said.

Contributing: Rebecca Morin

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FBI deputy director brushes off his claims FBI hid pipe bomb suspect

Reporting by Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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