Bulwark Takes Inside The Blaze’s Pipe-Bomb Face-Plant
Dec 6, 2025
Will Sommer, an investigative reporter known for his insights on right-wing media and conspiracy theories, dives deep into the Blaze’s dramatic pipe-bomb reporting failure. He explains the flawed gait analysis that wrongly accused an innocent woman and the chaos that ensued after her alibi surfaced. Sommer discusses the potential legal ramifications for the Blaze, especially amidst the emergence of the real suspect, Brian Cole. With implications for right-wing narratives and the Blaze's future, this conversation shines a light on the dangers of sensationalist journalism.
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High-Risk Gait Analysis Claim
- The Blaze published a gait-analysis piece publicly accusing a former Capitol Police officer of planting the January 6 pipe bombs.
- Will Sommer and Sam Stein say the claim was wrong and fueled a major journalistic failure.
Puppies As An Alibi
- The Blaze compared footage of the accused walking and ran a 96% gait-match claim using college soccer video.
- The accused had an alibi of video playing with puppies that undermined their analysis.
Do Basic Checks Before Naming Suspects
- Do basic journalistic checks before naming suspects, including contacting FBI/DOJ and the accused for comment.
- Avoid publishing speculative forensic claims like gait analysis without corroboration.