As elections rapidly approach, tensions seem to be rising. Earlier this week, suspicious packages were delivered to mostly left-wing candidates, donors, and even former President Obama. The list included billionaire and major liberal donor George Soros’s, former President Obama, former Sec of State Hillary Clinton, former AG Eric Holder, and the CNN building in NYC (to former CIA Director John Brennan, who’s a frequent guest on the channel). The FBI also said two similar packages addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) had also been intercepted.
All were sent with a return address from Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) – the former chairwoman of the DNC. Republican leaders rushed Wednesday to decry the suspected explosive devices or suspicious packages sent to four Democrats and a news network that President Trump has repeatedly demonized, saying that such acts cannot be tolerated despite the corrosive tone on the campaign trail.
“I just want to tell you that in these times, we have to unify, we have to come together, and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind has no place in the United States of America,” the president said, despite his own track record of engaging in divisive and, at times, violent rhetoric, including a recent reference to Democrats as an “angry, ruthless, unhinged mob.”
Democrats are fed up with President Trump’s words, attitude, and actions. “Time and time again, the President has condoned physical violence and divided Americans with his words and his actions,” Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said in a joint statement.
Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC on Friday that the mail bombs were stoking fear across the county and that U.S. leaders, including Trump, must reassure the public. Elected officials and others need to say that this is not who we are as a country, Warner said. “That would be a heck of a lot stronger if that message also came from the White House.”
Authorities say that the packages all seem to have been pipe bombs, and luckily each package was intercepted before they reached their intended targets.
It remains unclear if this situation was about the upcoming midterm elections, however, it certainly adds to an already tense election season. Many of the people targeted are leading Democrats who have criticized President Trump in the past.
Since the incident, Cesar Sayoc was charged Friday with five federal crimes and faces up to 48 years in prison in connection to improvised explosive devices sent to prominent Democratic politicians, donors and CNN offices in New York.
A total of 13 bombs were mailed around the country, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a news conference, adding that there could be more packages not yet discovered.
Sayoc was charged with an illegal mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents and others, and assaulting current and former federal officers, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, adding that charges could change or expand as the investigation continues. He initially said Sayoc faced up to 58 years in prison, but the Justice Department later revised that figure to 48.
The political divide in America is reaching a tipping point, but violence is not and will never be the answer.