More Suspicious Packages, and Now, a Suspect in Custody

There are several hot garbage takes circulating, in regards to the recent rash of potentially explosive devices being mailed to various politicians or political figures.

One is that liberals are probably sending the devices to themselves, in order to invigorate their base going into the midterm election.

The other is that none of the devices has gone off, yet, therefore, they weren’t meant to go off. They’re simply a “political statement.”

The proper take is to A) not say things that make it seem like you’re kinda hoping somebody gets hurt, and B) understand that this isn’t a political statement. Even if there are no blast caps and even if not a single one ever detonates on its own (Authorities say that, although crude, the ability to function is still there), this is intimidation, and it is wrong.

And now, there are more to report.

The Associated Press is reporting today that “suspicious” packages, similar to those sent through the week to George Soros, Joe Biden, Eric Holder, John Brennan (care of CNN), the Clintons, former President Barack Obama, actor Robert De Niro, and California Congresswoman Maxine Waters have been discovered, addressed to New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, as well as former National Intelligence Director James Clapper.

As the investigation moves on, authorities believe they may have some leads.

Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the devices, containing timers and batteries, were not rigged like booby-trapped package bombs that would explode upon opening. But they were uncertain whether the devices were poorly designed or never intended to cause physical harm. A search of a postal database suggested at least some may have been mailed from Florida, one official said. Investigators are homing in on a postal facility in Opa-locka, Florida, where they believe some of the packages originated, another official said.

Florida.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has confirmed that at least some of the packages did, indeed, originate in Florida.

New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill discussed the devices in a Thursday press conference, but they’re not talking about motives, or how the packages got into the U.S. postal system.

They’re also not calling this a “hoax.” They’re taking it as a serious threat to harm.

Good.

Meanwhile, we have a president who gave a basic nod to decency, while standing before cameras on Thursday.

By 3 am on Friday, however, he was fever tweeting like a mad man.

Trump claimed on Friday he was being blamed for the mail bombs addressed to his critics, complaining in a tweet sent before dawn: “Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing, yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, ‘it’s just not Presidential!’”

Later, he added this bippy:

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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2018

Our president… healing the nation, putting the needs and well-being of the people, first.

“A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News,” Trump said on Twitter. “It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!”

That’s right.

It’s the fault of a free press. Of course.

John Brennan, not one to hold his tongue when it comes to Trump, had an answer for that.

“Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror,” Brennan tweeted. “Your inflammatory rhetoric, insults, lies, & encouragement of physical violence are disgraceful. Clean up your act….try to act Presidential.”

You don’t know what you’re asking.

The list of bombing targets spread from New York, Delaware and Washington, D.C., to Florida and California.

The explosive devices were packed in envelopes with bubble-wrap interiors bearing six American flag stamps and the return address of Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

And no, nobody actually believes they came from Wasserman-Schultz.

The bombs seized Wednesday were about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and packed with powder and broken glass, according to a law enforcement official who viewed X-ray images. The official said the devices were made from PVC pipe and covered with black tape. At the New York briefing, authorities confirmed that at least some of the packages were distributed through the U.S. mail, and cautioned that there could be additional devices in the postal system. They said investigators searching for more suspicious parcels had not found any during the previous eight hours.

Retired federal ATF agent, David Chipman, discussed the makeup of the devices, and how the details – such as the black duct tape used to wrap up the devices – would all be used by investigators to track down the suspect.

The tape on the pipe is “an investigator’s dream,” he said, recalling a case in Texas that was solved because the fibers on the tape were traced to the bomber’s dog. He said bombers tend to plot methodically.

“This is someone sitting down and spending time thinking about what they’re going to do to someone else. And some people like to relish that,” he said.

Whoever it is, even if their only intent is to rattle some cages, they’re in the wrong. They are potentially dangerous, and they need to be stopped.

*UPDATE*

As I’m writing this, there appears to have been a suspect apprehended.

A 50-ish aged male, resident of Plantation, Florida with ties to New York is in custody, now.

Details will be available shortly, but in the meantime, just mull over what they’re saying is his van.

PHOTO: Van of the Florida man who is accused of sending letter bombs to Trump critics; his identity has not yet been released pic.twitter.com/SHG3UMoslZ

— BNO News (@BNONews) October 26, 2018

He looks like a true believer.