Suspicious package addressed to Sen. Cory Booker recovered in Florida
Timeline: Suspicious packages to Democrats and media figures
A timeline on a number of suspicious packages sent to to Democrats and media figures.
A pair of suspicious packages addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker – the 11th and 12th such parcels sent to top Democratic political figures found in the last week — were recovered in New York and Florida on Friday, according to an NYPD source and the FBI.
The package found in Florida on Friday appeared to be similar to the others that were sent, according to the FBI.
The NYPD said separately it was investigating suspicious packages at a location on 52nd street in New York City. At least one package there was addressed to Clapper, an NYPD source told Fox News.
Booker declined to comment on the package and instead referred all questions to law enforcement. Bomb-sniffing dogs were seen at Booker's Camden, N.J., office.
The latest suspicious packages addressed to top Democratic political figures comes as federal investigators zeroed in on Florida as a “region of interest,” two sources told Fox News on Thursday.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” that some of the packages originated in Florida. But investigators wouldn’t say whether they believe the suspect or suspects were still in the state.
“As you know some of the packages went through the mail, they originated, some of them, from Florida,” Nielson told host Martha MacCallum. “The president appropriately directed everyone within the United States federal government to work on this as quickly and expeditiously as possible to bring these people or person to justice.”
New York and Maryland were also in focus, Fox News learned.
Earlier Thursday, suspicious packages were sent to former Vice President Joe Biden and actor Robert De Niro. Biden’s packages were found in Delaware, while De Niro’s package was discovered outside his production company and restaurant in New York City.
“I thank God no one's been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us,” De Niro said in a statement. “There's something more powerful than bombs, and that's your vote. People MUST vote!”
The FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Va., has also been engaged, beginning forensic analysis of some of the packages addressed to former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, liberal billionaire George Soros, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former CIA Director John Brennan and California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters.
Stamps are being analyzed for saliva and DNA at the Quantico lab, a government official told Fox News. The investigation has progressed “significantly” and the official added the FBI is now reaching out to retailers to pin down where the package bomb elements were made, and where they were sold.
The devices were considered to be “rudimentary,” but some are “dangerous and unstable,” the government official said.
The FBI said Wednesday evening it had identified seven suspicious packages addressed to prominent Democratic figures over the last three days containing “potentially destructive devices.” The packages discovered Friday would make it 12.
All House Oversight Committee members issued a joint statement Friday condemning the "terrorist acts."
"In light of the terrorist acts of the last 48 hours, we are issuing this united statement to condemn in the strongest terms any actions that threaten to commit violence against the people of the United States, including current or former elected officials, members of the media, individual Americans, or anyone else – regardless of their political background or position," the statement read.
"Just as importantly, we strongly condemn any rhetoric by current or former elected officials, members of the media, individual Americans, or anyone else that condones, excuses, or encourages such violence. As Americans, we believe that when our nation comes under attack, we are strongest when we stand together."
President Trump responded to news of the devices Wednesday, saying: “The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority.” He continued, “The full weight of government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice.”
But a joint statement from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the president’s words as “hollow.”
“Time and time again, the President has condoned physical violence and divided Americans with his words and his actions,” the statement read.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders fired back on “Fox & Friends” Thursday, saying that Trump could not have been “more presidential” in his handling of the apparent bomb threats. She said whoever is behind the attacks is “ultimately the person that is responsible.”
Fox News’ Catherine Herridge, Rick Leventhal and Bill Mears contributed to this report
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