Pipe bombs have been delivered to critics of President Trump across the United States in the past few days. So far, 12 have turned up addressed to the homes or offices of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Robert De Niro, Hillary Clinton, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, billionaire George Soros, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and former CIA Director John Brennan.
Though none has exploded, they comprise one of the biggest bombing threats in the United States in decades.
Authorities from across the U.S. government, including the director of Homeland Security, have either tied the bombs to South Florida or said they "originated" here.
President Trump at 3 a.m. today criticized CNN for its reporting on the bombings despite the fact the network was one of the bomber's targets.
Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, “it’s just not Presidential!”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2018
The evidence has come across from all corners that the bombs are connected to South Florida. This post will be updated as more clues are reported:
- All the packages had a return address of South Florida. They were handwritten and, in at least some cases, misspelled.
- One of two packages addressed to Cory Booker and James Clapper this morning turned up in Florida. Another was found in Manhattan.
- At least one package, which was sent to former Attorney General Eric Holder, passed through a large nonconsumer postal facility in Op-locka, according to the Miami Herald. The facility was swept by dogs and cops Thursday.
- All 12 packages listed the return address as U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's office in Sunrise, according to the Washington Post and others. Wasserman Schultz teared up as she described the bravery of her staff in dealing with the bomb addressed to Holder that was "returned" to her office. She was at a campaign event.
- Kirstjen Nielsen, secretary of Homeland Security, told Fox News the packages "originated, some of them, from Florida." She said that they were an attempt to "undermine our democracy" and that "the person will be brought to justice, absolutely."