One was addressed to Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and the other to James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, and was to be sent in care of CNN, according to law enforcement sources.
The package sent to CNN was discovered at a mail facility in Manhattan. The package to Booker was found in Florida.
That brings to 12 the total number of similar packages discovered that include suspected explosive devices. The FBI is examining the devices at its facility in Quantico, Va.
Later on Friday, authorities in Sacramento responded to investigate a suspicious package sent to Senator Kamala Harris’ office. It was not immediately known whether the package resembled the other mail bombs.
Like the other intended recipients of the packages, Booker and Clapper have been critics of President Donald Trump. Clapper is a contributor for CNN. The source of the packages is under investigation, and authorities have not said whether there is a motive.
Like other packages, the one sent to Clapper listed Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) as a return address. It’s unclear if that was the reason that the package to Booker was discovered in Florida. Wasserman Schultz is the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
A package was discovered early Thursday at the production offices of Robert De Niro, and addressed to him. He released a statement on Friday in which he said, “I thank God no one’s been hurt, and I thank the brave and resourceful security and law enforcement people for protecting us. There’s something more powerful than bombs, and that’s your vote. People MUST vote!”
Others were addressed to former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former attorney general Eric Holder, billionaire philanthropist George Soros, two to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), and two to former Vice President Joe Biden. CNN received a package that was sent to former CIA director John Brennan.
In the aftermath of the latest discoveries of suspected mail bombs, Trump sent out a tweet that decried the impact it was having on GOP momentum in the midterms. He also put the word “bomb” in quotes. Some conservative commentators have pinned the blame on the left as a distraction in advance of the vote, while Fox Business host Lou Hobbs tweeted on Thursday, “Fake News–Face Bombs. Who could possibly benefit by so much fakery?” He then deleted the tweet.
Trump wrote, “Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this “Bomb” stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows – news not talking politics. Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote!”
