1:03
- ABC News
- October 25, 2018
Brennan, Clinton react to suspicious packages
Both pointed to the tense political climate.
1:03
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning at the White House, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders repeatedly denied that the president deserves any responsibility for the state of the discourse.
“There’s a big difference between comments made and actions taken,” Sanders said.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/sanders-abc-ml-180928jpg_hpEmbed_15x8_384.jpg\")
She specifically addressed suggestions that the president's rhetoric is connected to the motive for delivering any explosive devices.
“The president is certainly not responsible for sending suspicious packages to someone no more than Bernie Sanders was responsible for a supporter of his shooting up a Republican baseball field practice last year,” Sanders said, referring to James T. Hodgkinson, the man who opened fire at a GOP congressional baseball practice in 2017 and had previously supported Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in his bid for the presidency.
“The idea that this is at the hands of the president is absolutely ridiculous,” Sanders said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the president and top Republican from South Carolina, also used the comparison to Hodgkinson to defend the president.
\"I blame the individual(s) responsible – not someone else,\" Graham tweeted.
I didn’t blame Bernie Sanders when a Bernie supporter shot Congressman Steve Scalise. And I’m not going to blame President @realDonaldTrump for this nut job.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 25, 2018
I blame the individual(s) responsible –- not someone else.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/lindsey-graham-ap-jt-180929_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
Law enforcement officials may have also intercepted a suspicious package addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday morning, making him the latest potential target in the string of suspected bombing attacks, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
Authorities are treating it as one of multiple possible packages in the government's domestic terrorism investigation, sources told ABC News, saying it was similar to those containing explosive devices sent to former President Barack Obama, Clinton and CNN's New York headquarters. Officials said they also intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., that matched the descriptions of explosive devices sent to Clinton, Obama, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other Democratic figures in New York and Washington.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/obama-clinton-gty-hb-181024_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
Waters, who released a statement Wednesday thanking U.S. Capitol Police and denouncing violence, took her comments further on Thursday: \"We have to keep to doing what we’re doing in order to make this country right; that’s what I intend to do, and as the young people say, 'I ain’t scared,’” Waters said in a video on Blavity.
A pipe bomb was also found earlier this week in the home mailbox of billionaire George Soros, who has a house in a town near the Clintons in New York.
The suspicious packages prompted swift condemnation from the White House and congressional leaders.
Speaking from the East Room of the White House Wednesday, President Donald Trump condemned the acts and said the \"full weight\" of the government would be behind the investigation.
He also called for unity.
\"We have to come together, and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America,\" Trump said.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, in a joint statement after the president's remarks, said his words will \"ring hollow until he reverses his statements that condone acts of violence.\"
\"Time and time again, the President has condoned physical violence and divided Americans with his words and his actions: expressing support for the Congressman who body-slammed a reporter, the neo-Nazis who killed a young woman in Charlottesville, his supporters at rallies who get violent with protestors, dictators around the world who murder their own citizens, and referring to the free press as the enemy of the people,\" the statement read.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/police-timewarner2-rt-hb-181024_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
Later Wednesday, the president continued his call for unity at a campaign rally in Wisconsin but also used the moment to criticize the media, not acknowledging the potential impact of his own rhetoric in the present political climate. \"CNN sucks,\" a frequent chant at his rallies, erupted at a rally as recently as Monday in Houston, Texas.
\"The media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone and to stop the endless hostility and constant negative and oftentimes false attacks and stories. Have to do it. They've got to stop,\" Trump said Wednesday night.
Vice President Mike Pence also commented on the reports of suspicious packages.
\"I just received a briefing about the suspicious packages that were sent to the Clinton's, the Obama's, CNN, and others and let me be clear, we condemn these attempted acts of violence in the strongest possible terms. These cowardly acts are despicable and have no place in American society,\" Pence said at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, and adviser, tweeted that there's \"no excuse\" for the attempted attacks.
I strongly condemn the attempted acts of violence against President Obama, the Clinton family, @CNN & others. There is no excuse—America is better than this.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 24, 2018
Gratitude to the @SecretService and law enforcement for all they do to keep this nation safe.
Senate leader Mitch McConnell, calling the deliveries \"attempted acts of domestic terrorism,\" thanked first responders for their protection against \"unconscionable acts.\"
“I stand with all Americans in condemning today’s attempted acts of domestic terrorism. As we continue to learn more, Americans are united in gratitude for the first responders — the Secret Service, the Postal Service, and other law enforcement — who protect our leaders and public figures from such unconscionable acts,” McConnell said in a statement.
House majority leader Paul Ryan also commented, calling the acts \"reprehensible.\"
Those behind such reprehensible acts must be brought to justice. We cannot tolerate any attempt to terrorize public figures. I am grateful to the @SecretService, Capitol Police, and all law enforcement who guard against these threats. https://t.co/HUQQxynU9h
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) October 24, 2018
Later in the afternoon, Pelosi tweeted condemning terrorism and urging Americans not to give in to fear.
\"The goal of terrorists is to instill fear,\" she said. \"We will not allow them to diminish our commitment to building a brighter future for communities across America.\"
Once again, we are reminded of the heroism of America’s first responders as they work to counter these attempted attacks. The goal of terrorists is to instill fear. We will not allow them to diminish our commitment to building a brighter future for communities across America.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) October 24, 2018
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, echoed Pelosi's rhetoric to defy terrorism — claiming the acts of terror will \"only make us more brave.\"
These targeted acts of terror are despicable cowardice.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) October 24, 2018
These acts will not inflict terror, they will only make us more brave.
Grateful to the first responders and law enforcement for their quick response to these threats. https://t.co/7vH9jC8wmr
And Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who campaigned with Clinton in 2016, said violence — against people or media organizations – \"has no place in our democracy.\"
Violence against private citizens, public officials and media organizations has no place in our democracy. I am thankful for the bold and swift action of law enforcement to ensure no one was hurt. https://t.co/2Y6FwPJ5WJ
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) October 24, 2018
Clinton's opponent for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, called for a battle of \"words and ideas, not fists and bombs.\"
In this country we battle with words and ideas, not fists and bombs.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) October 24, 2018
Acts of violence, appeals to violence and condoning violence have no place in American society.
Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester Counties in New York, asked the president for a personal rebuke on the \"despicable actions.\"
Since Monday, we have seen several acts of terrorism targeting progressive leaders and a bastion of the free American press. This has to stop. I call on the President to personally rebuke these despicable actions and stop fomenting division in this country. pic.twitter.com/IsaWH34Oml
— Eliot Engel (@RepEliotEngel) October 24, 2018
Obama, who has been on the campaign trail stumping for Democrats, had no immediate comment through his spokesperson but deferred to the Secret Service for further information.
This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.
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