Brian J. Cole Jr., a Virginia man, faces trial beginning February 16 on charges of planting pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters the night before the January 6, 2021, Capitol events. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, nominated by President Biden, ruled that prior presidential pardons for January 6 defendants do not apply to Cole and denied a motion to dismiss the case. Both Associated Press and ABC News report the same core timeline and procedural steps.