Letter with deadly poison found in Capitol mailroom
April 16th, 2013
06:45 PM ET

Letter with deadly poison found in Capitol mailroom

An envelope that tested positive for the deadly poison ricin was intercepted Tuesday afternoon at the U.S. Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington, congressional and law enforcement sources tell CNN.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he was told the letter was addressed to the office of Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi. After the envelope tested positive in a first routine test, it was retested two more times, each time coming up positive, the law enforcement source said. The package was then sent to a Maryland lab for further testing.

Senators were briefed on the matter Tuesday evening and told the congressional post offices would be temporarily shut down.

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Filed under: Politics • U.S.
soundoff (47 Responses)
  1. saywhat

    mass shootings, increasing gun violence,law enforcement officials targeted in Colorado & Ariz, the Boston bombing, now this.
    Disturbing.

    April 16, 2013 at 7:01 pm | Report abuse |
  2. chrissy

    Isnt it though? And still people think our terrorists are muslum. Heck the worst ones we have are homegrown!

    April 16, 2013 at 7:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • Pete

      @chrissy,could be worse ,some buddy letting out lethal farts taking out part of Capital Hill,devastating wouldn't it!!

      April 16, 2013 at 8:31 pm | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    No lack of nuts on our soil too@chrissy. Bitter but a fact.

    April 16, 2013 at 7:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • dazzle ©

      @Pete, lol, now that would be toxic.

      April 16, 2013 at 9:20 pm | Report abuse |
  4. saywhat

    And oh! where's @Hamsta to guide us?
    The Gun Control Lobby, the Nanny State, the anti-tea party folks & perhaps President Obama has to be responsible somehow??

    April 16, 2013 at 7:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • s kel

      Hamsta is gettin drunk off of swamp water and flying his stars and bars flag with pride, yeeehawwww

      April 16, 2013 at 8:37 pm | Report abuse |
  5. vikingwoman

    OK, some1 or several some1's are trying to stir up serious trouble! I agree w/@saywhat & @chrissy–it's probably domestic!!

    April 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm | Report abuse |
    • dazzle ©

      @skel, lol, where is our friend hamsta?

      April 16, 2013 at 8:49 pm | Report abuse |
    • s kel

      Daz his coments are right below you at 8:51. Just as insanely stupid as usual.

      April 16, 2013 at 8:58 pm | Report abuse |
  6. stuart

    Yep. Bad news all around guys.

    April 16, 2013 at 7:42 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Rascal Rabble

    ...who buys pressure cookers these days...that should be an easy find...

    April 16, 2013 at 8:24 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Hamsta

    My pressure cooker has Wolfgang Puck's signature on it. Is the government going to try to put him out of business like they are trying to put Smith and Wesson out of business? Am I going to have to register my pressure cooker? Do I need a conceal and carry permit?

    April 16, 2013 at 9:00 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jiao

      Nonsense. The Government is not trying to put S&W out of business. And even if that mythical feat were accomplished, you would still be able to possess your existing guns. Just how many do you need, anyway? How many can you shoot at the same time?

      April 16, 2013 at 10:56 pm | Report abuse |
  9. dazzle ©

    @Hamsta is you cook in that thing, be careful.

    April 16, 2013 at 9:08 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Hamsta

    The more the government becomes overcontrolling and invasive trying to take your con sti tu tional rights away the more of this you will see. It starts with the anarchists and continues with militias.

    April 16, 2013 at 9:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jiao

      And what Constitutional rights of yours have been taken away, Hamsta? If you would really like to know what has been taken away from us so far, please refer to the Patriot Act, enacted under the previous administration.

      April 16, 2013 at 10:53 pm | Report abuse |
  11. chrissy

    Lol see what you did @ saywhat! You jinxed us. And @ Rascal, 1925? Surely youre joking! And @ Pete, ewww lol.

    April 16, 2013 at 9:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • Rascal Rabble

      not mie! @1925...if yer gonna make me an old fogey...pick a year where i'm still be above ground...lol

      April 16, 2013 at 9:57 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Rascal Rabble

    terrorist's lobbying schedule:

    ricin red beans on Mondays
    ricin shine on Tuesdays
    ricin tide yacht party on Wednesdays
    early ricin on Thursdays
    self ricin flower on Fridays
    ricin stars on Saturdays
    late ricin on Sundays

    April 16, 2013 at 10:29 pm | Report abuse |
  13. chrissy

    Lol @ Rascal, i realised it wasnt you after i posted that. And lovely menu you got goin on there lol. Dont use the pressure cooker tho lol.

    April 16, 2013 at 10:43 pm | Report abuse |
    • Rascal Rabble

      hey...thatsah good one chrissy:

      hot wh!te ricin pressure cooker for senator office party...

      April 16, 2013 at 10:58 pm | Report abuse |
  14. chrissy

    And i suspect someone is very upset at our congressional leaders for their lackadaisy att i tude about their appointed jobs. Maybe the fact that they no sooner return from vacation only to go on spring break!

    April 16, 2013 at 10:47 pm | Report abuse |
  15. vikingwoman

    I have no pressure cooker! My mom had 1! It was all the rage in every modern 1969 Swedish kitchens! She used it a lot for some great dinners! Never in my wildest dreams....I have a slow cooker! Will that be next!?

    April 16, 2013 at 10:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • Rascal Rabble

      omg...there's a crock potter in the here!...what's the matter people y'all don't eat out???

      April 16, 2013 at 11:01 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jiao

      I have fond memories of my mom's pressure cooker...but it always scared me a bit. I don't think your crock-pot is on the endangered list.

      April 16, 2013 at 11:03 pm | Report abuse |
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