WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republican leaders say that the person or people who sent explosives to the homes of Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama should be brought to justice.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said they were “reprehensible acts” and “we cannot tolerate any attempt to terrorize public figures.”
The U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday that it intercepted a bomb that was addressed to Clinton and also discovered a possible explosive sent to Obama.
Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in the House, said “this is a dangerous path and it cannot become the new normal.” He said the attempted attacks are “pure terror.”
Scalise survived life-threatening injuries after he was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017. He tweeted that he’s experienced “first-hand the effects of political violence.”
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11:43 a.m.
Two law enforcement officials say a suspicious package that prompted an evacuation of CNN’s offices in New York City is believed to contain a pipe bomb.
The officials said the CNN bomb was crude but operational and was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who appears on air on other broadcast and cable outlets.
The officials say the device discovered Wednesday appeared to be similar to explosives sent to former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and billionaire George Soros.
A separate law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the explosive discovered at Soros’ suburban New York compound on Monday was a pipe bomb.
All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
The Secret Service hasn’t provided details about the devices that were sent to Clinton and Obama.
— By Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Michael Balsamo in Washington
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11:30 a.m.
Vice President Mike Pence is condemning “attempted attacks” against former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and CNN.
Pence tweeted Wednesday: “These cowardly actions are despicable & have no place in this Country.”
He thanked law enforcement and added: “Those responsible will be brought to justice.”
The U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday that it had intercepted a bomb that was addressed to Hillary Clinton and also discovered a possible explosive that was sent to Obama. Also Wednesday, a police bomb squad was sent to CNN’s offices in New York City and the newsroom was evacuated because of a suspicious package.
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11:16 a.m.
The U.S. Secret Service says media reports that it has intercepted a suspicious package bound for the White House “are incorrect.”
The law enforcement agency tasked with protecting the president and other dignitaries says it has intercepted two packages in Washington and New York. The packages were respectively addressed to the residences of former President Barack Obama in Washington and Hillary Clinton in Chappaqua, N.Y.
The Secret Service says neither was at risk of receiving the packages.
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10:33 a.m.
CNN says its offices in Manhattan have been evacuated because of a suspicious package.
The news network reported on Wednesday morning that a police bomb squad was at its offices.
The U.S. Secret Service says agents have intercepted packages containing “possible explosive devices” addressed to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Law enforcement officials say the CNN package was discovered in the mail room. It’s not clear yet if it’s related to the other packages.
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10:25 a.m.
Hillary Clinton was campaigning for Democrats in Florida and wasn’t at the family’s suburban New York residence when a suspicious package addressed to her was seized by the Secret Service.
Former President Bill Clinton was at the family’s Chappaqua, New York, home when the package was intercepted at a Westchester County, N.Y., facility. That’s according to a person familiar with his schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity and wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.
The person says the device was screened at the Westchester facility and never reached the Clintons’ home.
The Secret Service says the package was identified during routine mail screening procedures and the Clintons weren’t at risk of receiving it.
Hillary Clinton is headlining a fundraiser Wednesday for Florida congressional candidate Donna Shalala.
—By Ken Thomas.
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10:18 a.m.
The White House is condemning attempted attacks made against former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in a statement Wednesday: “These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” She adds: “The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards.”
The U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday that agents have intercepted packages containing “possible explosive devices” addressed to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The agency says neither Clinton nor Obama received the packages, and neither was at risk of receiving them because of screening procedures.
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10:11 a.m.
The U.S. Secret Service says agents have intercepted packages containing “possible explosive devices” addressed to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The agency says neither Clinton nor Obama received the packages, and neither was at risk of receiving them because of screening procedures.
It says the devices were discovered late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
A U.S. official tells The Associated Press that a “functional explosive device” was found during screening at Bill and Hillary Clintons’ suburban New York home.
The official says investigators believe the explosive is linked to one found Monday at the compound of liberal billionaire George Soros.
The Secret Service says a second package was addressed to Obama and was intercepted in Washington.
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This story has been corrected to show that Brennan is not a CNN contributor but appears on other broadcast and cable outlets.
