- Massie accuses the FBI of mishandling the January 6 pipe bomb probe, citing whistleblower claims of political interference and suppressed leads.
- FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino harshly rebukes Massie, offering briefings and accusing him of public posturing instead of direct engagement.
- Massie’s Epstein records push and the pipe bomb dispute escalate GOP infighting, risking hearings, probes, and prolonged partisan fallout.
In the swirling chaos of Washington politics, where old grudges meet fresh scandals, a fiery exchange between FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has ignited fresh debate over government transparency and accountability.
At the heart of the clash? A whistleblower’s explosive allegations about the FBI’s handling of the still-unsolved January 6 pipe bomb investigation—and Massie’s unyielding push to drag long-buried secrets into the light.
It started with a letter. Massie, the libertarian-leaning Kentucky congressman known for bucking his own party, fired off a stern missive to FBI leadership this week, accusing the bureau of “gross misconduct” in probing the mysterious pipe bombs planted near the Democratic and Republican national headquarters on the eve of the Capitol riot.
The FrankNez Media Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
Drawing on claims from a whistleblower who recently went public, Massie painted a picture of a botched investigation marred by political interference and suppressed leads.
The letter, shared prominently on X (formerly Twitter), served as a pointed reminder that retaliating against whistleblowers is not just unethical—it’s illegal.
The Epstein Files Create Another Wave
Massie’s timing couldn’t have been more charged. Just days earlier, the House voted narrowly to advance his resolution demanding the full, unredacted release of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list and related files—a move that saw even some Trump allies break ranks in a rare show of bipartisan revolt against stonewalling.
That effort, which Massie championed as a blow against elite impunity, has already ruffled feathers in intelligence circles.
Now, with the pipe bomb letter, he’s doubling down, tying the FBI’s alleged lapses to broader patterns of evasion.
The response from the Hoover Building was swift and scorching.
Bongino, the 50-year-old former Secret Service agent turned podcaster turned high-ranking FBI official, didn’t mince words in a blistering 397-word post on X Thursday morning.
Addressing Massie directly, he likened the congressman to a “dog barking behind a fence,” dismissing his accusations as cheap shots lobbed from the safety of social media.
Bongino attached screenshots to his post, including call logs showing an unanswered ring to Massie’s phone at 7:30 p.m. ET the previous evening.
“When I spoke with you yesterday a little after 8 am ET (screenshots attached), I offered you an in-person brief on our work,” Bongino wrote.
“We spoke for ten minutes. I called you back a bit after 7:30 pm ET to again make that offer. You didn’t answer and have yet to call me back.
Despite this, you continue to imply that the director and I are targeting investigators in the case.”
The deputy director didn’t stop there.
“This is disgusting, even by the low standards many have for politicians,” he fumed, before extending an olive branch laced with sarcasm:
“You know my number, and you’re free to call me anytime. But it’s easier to tweet and throw BS bombs.”
Cleaning the Swamp
For Bongino, a staunch defender of FBI Director Kash Patel and the bureau’s “MAGA 2.0” overhaul under the current administration, the critique hits close to home.
He’s spent months batting down similar salvos—from questions about Epstein’s files to scrutiny over the FBI’s role in high-profile cases like the alleged assassination plot against Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
On the pipe bombs, Bongino insisted the investigation remains active and rigorous.
“A week of near 24-hour work on RECENT open source leads in the case has yet to produce a break through (sic), and some of the media reporting regarding prior persons of interest is grossly inaccurate and serves only to mislead the public,” he wrote.
He wrapped his tirade with a nod to reform: Bongino said his leadership team was convening Thursday to equip whistleblowers with “all the whistleblower resources they need to disclose ANY evidence of malfeasance in the prior administration.”
It’s a line that echoes the administration’s broader pitch: We’re cleaning house, so why not join us?
“I proudly serve in this administration, and I proudly work with Director Patel to reform and advance the crime-fighting and national security missions of the FBI,” Bongino added.
“We would love to have you as a partner in this mission, rather than a dog barking behind a fence.”
Response From Massie? None
Massie, ever the contrarian, has stayed mum so far. His office didn’t respond to requests for comment by press time, leaving the congressman’s next move a tantalizing unknown.
Will he pick up the phone, or escalate with more public pressure? His track record suggests the latter—Massie has long positioned himself as a thorn in the side of both parties, from voting against COVID relief bills to grilling tech CEOs on censorship.
This dust-up comes at a precarious moment for the FBI, still smarting from years of partisan warfare.
The pipe bomb case, one of the most enduring mysteries of January 6, has long fueled conspiracy theories on both sides: Was it a false flag? A deep-state setup?
Or just a tragic oversight in a day of mayhem? The whistleblower’s claims—detailed in recent congressional briefings—allege that early leads were sidelined for political reasons, including pressure to wrap the probe neatly before the 2022 midterms.
If true, it could reopen wounds that have barely scarred over. Zoom out, and Massie’s Epstein crusade adds another layer.
His resolution, which cleared a procedural hurdle last week, aims to force the Justice Department to cough up thousands of pages on Epstein’s web of influence, including names that have trickled out in dribs and drabs over years of litigation.
Critics, including some in the GOP, warn it could compromise ongoing probes or endanger sources. Supporters, like Massie, argue it’s long past time for sunlight: “The American people deserve to know who was involved,” he posted last week, linking to flight logs and court docs that have already named big fish like Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew.
What Happens Next?
Bongino’s retort on the files has been equally blunt in past statements: “There is nothing of note” left to reveal, he claimed earlier this year, brushing off demands as partisan theater.
Yet with Massie leading the charge—and now weaving in Jan. 6 threads—the pressure is mounting. Could this feud spill into hearings? Spark a full congressional probe?
Or fizzle out in the endless scroll of X outrage?
One thing’s clear: In a town built on leaks and feuds, this one’s got the receipts—and the potential to keep unraveling for weeks.
As Bongino put it, the offer for a briefing stands.
Whether Massie bites, or keeps barking, could shape the next chapter in America’s obsession with its darkest secrets.
Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity
