Dan Bongino, the newly appointed deputy director of the FBI, announced on Monday that the bureau will be reexamining three significant investigations that have captured public attention.
The cases involve the 2021 D.C. pipe bombings, the cocaine found in the White House in 2023, and the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft decision regarding the Dobbs case in 2022.
In a statement, Bongino explained, “Shortly after swearing in, the Director and I evaluated a number of cases of potential public corruption that, understandably, have garnered public interest.”
He continued, “We made the decision to either re-open, or push additional resources and investigative attention, to these cases.”
Bongino expressed his commitment to the investigations, stating that he has requested weekly updates on their progress, affirming that the FBI is “making progress” in its efforts.
The most longstanding case involves the pipe bombs planted at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters on January 5, 2021, just before the Capitol riot.
Despite ongoing investigations, the identity of the individual who placed the bombs remains unknown more than four years later.
Notably, the discovery of the bombs occurred as supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
At approximately 1 p.m. on January 6, a passerby found the devices, prompting the evacuation of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was the vice president-elect at that time.
Authorities believe that the bombs were planted between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on January 5.
Earlier this year, investigators released surveillance footage showing the suspect sitting on a park bench, reaching into a backpack, and planting a pipe bomb outside the DNC.
According to a CBS News report from March 2021, the devices utilized a 60-minute kitchen timer as their sole method of detonation.
Fortunately, the bombs did not activate, and it remains uncertain whether they were intended to explode.
The FBI classified the devices as viable, confirming they posed a legitimate threat to public safety.
In addition to revisiting the pipe bomb case, Bongino also mentioned the investigation into the unprecedented leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion on the Dobbs case, which sought to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across the United States.
The leak drew strong condemnation from Chief Justice John Roberts, who termed it a “betrayal” and vowed a thorough investigation.
An extensive eight-month investigation was conducted by the Supreme Court’s marshal, Gail Curley, who consulted with former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Despite their efforts, investigators were unable to identify the source of the leak.
A 20-page report released alongside the court’s statement indicated that the chances of the leak originating from a hack of the court’s IT systems were “unlikely.”
After analyzing the court’s devices, networks, printers, and available communication logs, investigators could not find any forensic evidence to determine who disclosed the draft opinion.
As Bongino’s team dives back into these cases, the hope is that renewed focus and resources will yield results in solving these impactful investigations.
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