Law enforcement officials announced on Thursday 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.
