Law enforcement officials announced this morning that the suspicious package addressed to
Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) discovered Wednesday afternoon at the South Los Angeles mail
facility contained a live explosive device. Waters was among several Democrats across the
country who received similar packages some of which contained pipe bombs.
The FBI confirmed Wednesday evening that in addition to five packages received at locations
earlier in New York, the Washington D.C. area and Florida targeting politicians such as Barack
Obama and Hillary Clinton, it was the second such package addressed to Waters.
Waters said Wednesday that a suspicious letter with her name on it was intercepted at a
congressional mail-sorting facility in Maryland.
“I have been informed by U.S. Capitol Police that my Washington, D.C., office was the target of
a suspicious package that has been referred to the FBI,” Waters said. “I am appreciative of the
law enforcement entities who intercepted the package and are investigating this matter. I
unequivocally condemn any and all acts of violence and terror.”
Early Wednesday afternoon the South Los Angeles mail facility near Central and Florence
avenues was evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious item addressed to Waters. A
Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad responded to the scene, along with various federal
agencies and police announced about 7 p.m. that the item had been rendered safe.
Authorities said postal workers believed the package found at the facility appeared similar to
those found in New York City and Washington D.C., the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to the FBI, both packages sent to Waters were similar to ones found earlier in the day
on the East Coast. One of those earlier packages was directed to former President Barack
Obama in Washington and another to former Secretary of State and presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton in New York.
Another suspicious package containing what police described as a potentially live explosive
device was also received at CNN’s headquarters in New York, addressed to former CIA chief
John Brennan, who is actually an analyst for NBC. The building was evacuated, and the
package was removed by a bomb squad.
The return address on the envelope sent to CNN headquarters had the name and address of
Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former Democratic National Committee chair.
Another suspicious device was addressed to former Obama administration Attorney General
Eric Holder, but when it couldn’t be delivered, it was forwarded to the return address on the
envelope – also Shultz’s office in Florida.
On Monday, a suspicious item was found in a mailbox at the Bedford, New York, home of
George Soros, a billionaire who supports liberal candidates and causes.
