<p>Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is calling for the resignation of FBI Director Kash Patel following the release of a transcript related to the interrogation of Brian Cole Jr., who is accused of being involved in the January 6 pipe bomb incidents.</p>
<p>The details of the FBI's treatment of Cole were outlined in a motion to suppress statements he made during his interrogation on December 4, 2025, shortly after his arrest.</p>
<p>Cole's attorneys argue that he was under significant physical and emotional distress during the interrogation due to his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. They contend that this condition rendered his confession involuntary and coerced.</p>
<p>Massie has publicly criticized the government's actions, stating, “Most of the country has been ignoring this story. When it’s finally resolved, [Patel] must resign and join [former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino]. What the two of them have done to this autistic black man is inexcusable. At a minimum, they should release Cole on an ankle bracelet until the trial.”</p>
<p>Cole's federal trial is scheduled to begin on February 16, 2027, and is expected to last approximately two weeks. The case will be heard in Washington, D.C., where Cole is alleged to have planted two pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on January 6, 2021.</p>
<p>The undetonated bombs were discovered and safely removed by authorities on the day of the Capitol riot.</p>
<p>Cole has pleaded not guilty to all federal charges, which include allegations related to domestic terrorism and the attempted use of weapons of mass destruction.</p>
<p>During his initial interrogation, Cole reportedly maintained his innocence until he became fatigued by the questioning. According to the court filing, “Roughly three hours into the interrogation that followed—isolated in an interview room, wrapped in a blanket, fighting the urge to vomit, and ‘stimming’ the same sentences to himself again and again—he agreed with two agents insisting that the figure in some surveillance video was him.”</p>
<p>The defense argues that the interrogation tactics employed were coercive and that Cole's autism spectrum disorder affected his ability to respond appropriately. They define stimming as a self-regulating behavior common among autistic individuals in distress, suggesting that Cole was not in a suitable mental state to provide a voluntary confession.</p>
<p>“The allegations here are that agents stacked four coercive tactics on a suspect whose disability they watched unfold in real time and then detained him past the six-hour safe harbor for the announced purpose of continued interrogation,” Cole’s lawyers stated. “If established, these facts would require suppression. And most of them already are established, by a video recording and transcript whose contents the government cannot dispute.”</p>
<p>The federal judge overseeing the case will determine whether an evidentiary hearing on the motion to suppress should take place, as requested by Cole’s counsel. If granted, Cole would testify regarding his autism spectrum disorder and its potential impact on his interrogation responses.</p>