President Donald Trump promised “the full weight of our government” to find and prosecute whoever sent explosive devices in the mail to multiple prominent Democratic leaders Wednesday.
“As we speak the packages are being inspected by top explosives experts, and a major federal investigation is now underway,” Trump told a hastily convened news conference. “The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice. We will spare no resources or expense in this effort.”
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Trump had just concluded a briefing on the situation with the FBI, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service. The packages have since been removed from where they were found and are being examined by the FBI is its bomb labs.
“I just want to tell you in these times we have to unify and come together to send one very clear, strong and unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America,” Trump said. “That’s a very bipartisan statement. I can tell you, on both sides we believe that.”
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were sent an explosive device that was intercepted shortly after midnight near their home in Chappaqua, New York. Federal and local law enforcement then discovered more packages with similar devices sent to other homes, including that of former President Barack Obama.
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The Time Warner Center in Manhattan was also sent a bomb, which caused an evacuation of the CNN New York bureau. Former Attorney General Eric Holder and former CIA Director John Brennan also reportedly were sent suspicious packages. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was sent a suspicious package, but it turned out not to be a bomb, according to the Associated Press.
Liberal political activist and billionaire George Soros was also targeted by a package bomb earlier in the week, which was sent to his home in Katonah, New York.
Suspicious package received at New York Gov. Cuomo's office was harmless and unrelated to the other device packages, officials say. https://t.co/iOILuQyGyh
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 24, 2018
As the explosive devices were discovered throughout the morning Wednesday, mainstream media outlets shifted into wall-to-wall coverage. As the incidents developed during the day, more than a few commentators on CNN, MSNBC, and the broadcast networks hinted that Trump was somehow responsible for the situation.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and New York City law enforcement officials held a news conference in the afternoon to review what had happened. Officials with the New York Police Department said the devices were “crude pipe bombs.”
Pipe bombs can do severe physical damage and inflict massive injuries and deaths.
CNN reported earlier in the day that the packages included the return address for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.).
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