CNN’s Evan Perez Praises Sean Hannity for Confronting Dan Bongino on Past J6 Pipe Bomber Inside Job

CNN senior justice correspondent Evan Perez offered some kudos to Fox News’ Sean Hannity for pressing FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on past conspiracy theories he pushed about the suspect in a Washington, D.C. pipe bombing case.

Perez joined Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown on The Situation Room on Friday to discuss the latest in the case of Brian Cole, 30, the man the FBI and Justice Department have accused of placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democrat National Committee buildings on January 5, 2021, the night before the Capitol riot.

CNN reported on Friday, citing sources briefed on the matter, that Cole told FBI agents he believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen, something Perez noted could be the first major indicator in the suspect’s motivation. Cole is set to be arraigned on Friday afternoon and has not entered an official plea yet.

Perez also praised Hannity for confronting Bongino on past conspiracy theories about the pipe bomb incidents. In a podcast episode less than a year ago, Bongino suggested the pipe bombs were part of an inside job. He also argued on X that there was a “massive cover up” and the government didn’t “want” people to “know” the truth.

“I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions. That’s clear,” Bongino told Hannity in a clip Perez threw to. “And one day I’ll 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.”

Perez said Hannity asked exactly the question Perez himself did not get a chance to ask at a Thursday press conference about the arrest.

“Look, I was at that press conference yesterday and I raised my hand repeatedly. I did not get called on, but that is actually — Hannity asked the question that I wanted to ask, which was, essentially, do you still believe that this was an inside job?” Perez said. “Because the deputy FBI director, since he arrived, has been very fixated on this case.”

Watch above via CNN.