Suspicious substance found on letter sent to President Obama
A suspicious substance was found on a letter sent to President Barack Obama and intercepted at an off-site mail facility Tuesday.
The Secret Service said it was not immediately clear what the substance is. It is also not known whether there is a connection with the letter sent to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) containing the toxic poison ricin that was detected Tuesday.
The Secret Service is working with the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI in investigating the letter sent to the president.
A letter sent to Wicker’s office tested positive for ricin and has been sent to a Maryland facility for additional testing.
(Also on POLITICO: What is ricin?)
The Wicker letter was postmarked Memphis, Tenn., and had no suspicious markings or return address, according to a message sent to congressional staffers by Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer.
The Senate’s mail facility is closed for two to three days “while testing and the law enforcement investigation continues,” Gainer said.
Senators were briefed on the letter Tuesday evening and were told a suspect has been identified.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said the letter came from an individual who frequently writes to lawmakers. She wouldn’t identify the person but confirmed officials were investigating someone.
State congressional offices have been told what to look for if there are more letters containing the toxic substance.
The Secret Service said it was not immediately clear what the substance is. It is also not known whether there is a connection with the letter sent to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) containing the toxic poison ricin that was detected Tuesday.
Spokesman Edwin Donovan said the letter was received at
the Secret Service’s White House mail screening facility, which
examines all mail for the complex and is not located nearby. The
facility, he said, “facility routinely identifies letters or parcels
that require secondary screening or scientific testing before delivery.”
(Also on POLITICO: Letter with ricin sent to Wicker)The Secret Service is working with the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI in investigating the letter sent to the president.
A letter sent to Wicker’s office tested positive for ricin and has been sent to a Maryland facility for additional testing.
(Also on POLITICO: What is ricin?)
The Wicker letter was postmarked Memphis, Tenn., and had no suspicious markings or return address, according to a message sent to congressional staffers by Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer.
The Senate’s mail facility is closed for two to three days “while testing and the law enforcement investigation continues,” Gainer said.
Senators were briefed on the letter Tuesday evening and were told a suspect has been identified.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said the letter came from an individual who frequently writes to lawmakers. She wouldn’t identify the person but confirmed officials were investigating someone.
State congressional offices have been told what to look for if there are more letters containing the toxic substance.
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