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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.Investigators focus on Florida in hunt for sender of bombs mailed to Trump critics
By Mark Hosenball and Gabriella Borter WASHINGTON/NEW YORK©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
76 Comments
Laguna
What I thought: That Trump wouldn't be able to go more than 24 hours without lashing out (ironically, in the name of "unity"). And it will get worse. Trump is so thin skinned he makes a peach look like an avocado.
ClippetyClop
Here is the statement. Did Hannity instruct you to get angry about it?
Once again, we salute the heroism of America’s first responders as they work to counter the outrageous mail bomb attacks. We listened with great interest to the President’s remarks this afternoon. We all take an oath to support and defend the constitution and protect the American people, and that is our first responsibility.
However, President Trump’s words 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.
Chip Star
Rightists constantly make wild assertions untethered from reality. When challenged for evidence, they simply deflect using one of their favorite boogeyman: Obama, Clinton, or liberals. Never any substance.
Strangerland
Are they telling you in your bubble that CNN and the Democrats said that?
Sorry to tell you mate, but your right-wing deep-state MSM is lying to you. Neither CNN nor the Liberals ever said those things.
PTownsend
And I think Trump's bundle-of-rods followers will agree that if Trump could have a state controlled media like Russia, Turkey, China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other totalitarian states have, the bombings would not have been reported. He would have been able to ignore claims they happened, and once again just lie. And his followers would believe him.
And if Trump could have a state controlled media, people wouldn't be aware of the times he's incited violence at one of his beer hall rallies. Instead he could just tell more lies without evidence to counter him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIs2L2nUL-0
The media are NOT the enemy. Only those who believe in totalitarianism claim so.
takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com
Damn Democrats! They just need to roll over and let Donny do whatever his diseased heart desires. Equating 'confrontational comments' to bombings is absurd.
For a day. And then did an abrupt about face.
Lolololol Donny the draft doesnt fight, he never has. Donny is a poor man's idea of a rich man, a coward's idea of a brave. Donny runs. Donny cant stand criticism, because he's a coward. What you want is 0 accoubtability for Donny.
CrazyJoe
Instigating, agitating, and fanning the flames of intolerance & hate are the root cause of acts like pizzagate and now this.
If ever there was a time of people of sound minds to vote, it's now!
Trump is inciting terrorist acts against Americans.
Strangerland
I just did - none of those support your assertions whatsoever.
You really need to call out your deep-state biased right-wing MSM for telling you these lies. They end up inciting people to violence, and doing things like mailing bombs to people they don't like, to try to murder them.
Laguna
The danger is that one of these bombs may get through - or injure those handling them.
Strangerland
People need to read this comment with context. This is the same guy who says the problem with people mailing bombs to murder others is 'liberal hypocrisy', not that the problem is trying to murder someone.
This displays extreme hyper-partisan stance of this poster. Now re-read his post with that understanding of his hyper-bias, and determine for yourself whether his comments have an ounce of credibility.
Simon Foston
BlacklabelToday 07:54 am JST
Selectively forgotten what he also said about the media?
PTownsend
Do you have a link showing he's dialed back some of his personal attacks?
Do you think Trump'll stop making finger guns and saying 'boom, boom, boom, beat the crap...', and 'I'd like to punch him in the face'. He's NOT a counterpuncher. He's a suckerpuncher. Aka punk.
Trump's the US leader. It starts with him. His Republicans control the House and the Senate. But they know if they take a conciliatory stance they'll lose support from their angry supporters chubby-ized by violent talk.
Chip Star
Funny that none of the quotes provided from the liberals was actually inciting violence. Holder was speaking figuratively. Neither Waters' or Clinton's words need any clarification.
More intellectual dishonesty from rightists because they have nothing substantive. ROFL. Smh. Oh my . . . Har!
plasticmonkey
I don't see how offering to pay legal fees for a man who punched a protester is speaking figuratively. Ditto for praising a body slam against a reporter politely asking a legitimate question. Ditto for "I'd like to punch him in the face". Ditto for "maybe he should have been roughed up". Ditto for "knock the crap out of them". Ditto for "I would have been boom boom boom boom" while imitating punches. And so on.
And please. Stop with the comparisons to "the media" or "the left" or "BLM" or "Antifa". Trump is the one being criticized, and he is POTUS. This is a matter of Trump, one person, not all conservatives in America. Your equivalencies (and extremely distorted ones at that) between one man and an entire group of overgeneralized people is ridiculous.
SuperLib
Bass didn't mention the MSM yesterday. But Trump said it in his speech so now bass is saying it. It's not his thought, he's repeating Trump's thought. If Trump had said something else, then bass would be saying something else. If Trump had talked about Obama instead of the media then bass would be here repeating points about Obama, and he will feel like he believes it with all of his soul.
Strangerland
Let's put this comment into context. You're the same poster who said the problem with people mailing bombs in other to murder other people is 'liberal hypocrisy'. Posters can decide within that context whether any comments you make as to what is 'fair' and 'serious' holds any credibility whatsoever.
Chip Star
The issue with Trump is that his words and actions rarely align. His supporters simply lack the intellectual capacity and honesty to recognize this and admit it.
SuperLib
This is why I haven't been posting here as much as I used to.
When you have a discussion or debate about politics there's an assumption that you're talking to the decision-maker in his own world. I've come to realize that too often when you talk to a Trump fan you're talking to a conduit, or the messenger. He isn't giving his positions, he's giving positions that were given to him.
That means you aren't talking to a man sharing his own opinion and engaging in his own free will, you're talking to someone who is repeating what someone else said. So when we argue with Trump fans we aren't even arguining against points they personally believe, we are arguining with the original person who said them and that person is not here. That means we're arguing with a dead end.
We can pretty easily trip them up by pointing out the error in their statements or we can provide links to counter their arguments, but they didn't think of the arguments themselves so they don't know how to defend them. They make a point, we correct, and they respond talking about how bad liberals are because they've run out of ammo after the first line.
It's an empty process.
Chip Star
You'll have to forgive us for finding Trump's call for unity disingenuous. We feel that way because he's spent the last 3 years inciting and confining violence against his political opponents and sowing division amongst the general populace.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Mikel_Jollett/status/1055180557812822016
We know Trump supporters don't mind Trump's constant about-faces, and follow suit, but for those of us that don't practice self-deception, it simply means Trump and his supporters have no integrity.
Chip Star
There is zero evidence that democrats are inciting or condoning violence, but there is plenty of evidence that rightists do.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Mikel_Jollett/status/1055180557812822016
Why is the Trump Organization paying for the migrant caravan and sending pipe bombs to democrats?
Strangerland
"Weasel phrase" is a phrase meant to excuse inciting violence, which is very real, and very, very harmful to society. As is trying to pretend there is nothing wrong with it.
Strangerland
Nope, for every incidents of violence by extremist leftists (which should be absolutely condemned), there are two incidents of right-winger violence.
Someone forgot how a KKK right-winger ran down a crowd at a protest last year, killing someone.
Strangerland
The right try to murder people whose political opinions they disagree with, using pipe bombs and the US post, and the right wants to dispel the fact that Trump has incited this violence.
Moderator
Readers, this discussion is getting out of hand. All of you need to calm down. Let's start by avoiding words like "right" and "left." Please post your thoughts on the story rather than bickering with other readers.
Strangerland
I actually disagree - if you dig through enough of his statements, you can usually find that his actions match words he has said at some point in time. But he's also always said 10 other things that don't match with his actions.
The problem is that he is just verbal diarrhea, who agrees with whomever happens to be sitting in front of him at any given time, but then says the complete opposite some other time.
plasticmonkey
I didn't realize Eminem had such sway over political discourse in America.
Also, Tim Kaine saying "fight at the ballot box" is not inciting violence.
Come on. Get rid of this deranged moron in the WH. Even Mike Pence would be a relief.
bones
So is this part of “making America great again “??
well I guess we should not dare question or oppose the dear leader Donny or kaboom!:-/
Chip Star
Fair enough.
I just read a news report that said there is strong evidence that the same members of the Trump Organization that are organizing and funding the migrant caravan are also responsible for these mail bombs. This is all just Trump whipping up enthusiasm amongst his base.
Chip Star
Scalise is not a senator. This is the issue with rightists: they lack accuracy.
lincolnman
Ladies and gentlemen, if you're looking for a definition of fascism, you need not look further...
Chip Star
Funny there are no links to the alleged videos on YouTube . . .
The video I posted demonstrates Trump wasn't speaking figuratively.
If there is any evidence of the lefts rhetoric inciting violence, post a link.
Wolfpack
I hope this idiot is caught very soon. Peole are stating that they already know what the perpetrators motives are. Democrats and Republicans are already drawing conclusions and laying blame. It’s the same old tribalism and finger pointing that is par for the course with today’s media and polarized politics.
The bombs are reported to have been poorly put together with some being non-functional. Hopefully the person or persons responsible have been similarly sloppy in covering their tracks.
Simon Foston
???!??!!!???
Of course Trump's not telling anyone to jump off buildings and OF COURSE no one would do it. He's telling his supporters that roughing up his opponents is okay, and some of them are quite up for that kind of thing. False equivalency doesn't begin to describe it. I'm not saying Trump's opponents are all flawless tree-hugging pacifists but we're talking about people who threatened to be outside the White House with their guns if he lost.
Strangerland
If the Democratic party did this as a political ploy, I will be absolutely amazed (and disgusted).
If it was even a left-winger, I'll be extremely surprised.
Occams razor says it's a low-intelligence right-winger who has been suckered into Trump's inciting violence against people he's supposed to lead.
Sneezy
Well, there we have it. The suspect in custody is a registered Republican with years’ worth of pro-Trump memes online and visited a Trump rally two years ago in one of those idiotic MAGA hats.
He is a far right pro-Trump terrorist.
Black Sabbath
On the bright side, political violence in America today is nothing, nothing, compared to the 1960s.
Chip Star
Yes, we do. We are willing to engage them on discussion. The ones on this site, however, do not present themselves in a reasonable manner. This leads to the inference that they are not part of the group of which you speak.
Black Sabbath
Yup. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-incitement-violence/
Chip Star
If there were YouTube videos showing liberals inciting violence, rumightists would be posting them instead of simply asserting they exist.
The link provided does not showing any inciting of violence. Try again.
sf2k
What we've learned so far:
1) Trump promotes violence
2) Trump defines the targets of his rage ie: Lock her up
3) Someone enabled by these pronouncements acts on their rage
4) Trump blames the (Media | Left | Anyone else)
5) Trump enablers blame the (Media | Left | Anyone else)
Simon Foston
kyronstavicToday 06:45 pm JST
Well, naturally. I wouldn't personally have voted for Hillary Clinton as my presidential nominee if I'd been a Democrat. Thing is though... have you considered that it works the other way round, too? That people who might have gone Republican opted for Clinton when the comedy horror show that is Donald Trump emerged as the GOP candidate? Besides, with an electoral system that was a bit more representative of the view of the majority it wouldn't have made any difference anyway. It was the system that elected Donald Trump, not the people.
SuperLib
Good work catching this loser.
HonestDictator
LMAO, smh, etc... This once again is the problem with the CULT of Trump.
The only ones willing to follow their dear leader to the death.
"But, but... it was the Dems!" shouted the Trumpeteers. Then reality once again rears it's ugly head and slaps them with the cold hard truth. Remember what I said about toxic negative partisanship? This is how it ends.
Btw, finally turned in my ballot today. True to my word I voted straight democrat. This is first time I've done such a thing in all the 22 years I've been a registered (and need I remind you "unaffiliated") voter.
PTownsend
I think you're right. This is what Bannon, Putin, Trump etal have said they wanted all along, and what many of Trump's followers said during the election, i.e. that they wanted the US establishment torn down.
To be replaced by? Perhaps an all-powerful state led by Trump, who'll then be able to control US resources like Putin does in Russia in hopes of Trump (his family and syndicate) becoming as rich as Putin and his oligarchs.
Great plot line for a dystopian future movie. Terrible reality. Gens X, Y and Z: you're inheriting it.
Vote out ALL aging politicians.
Toasted Heretic
Letter bombs, package bombs, pipe bombs can go off suddenly, or not at all. Depends on how "well" they're made. Who's responsible in cases like these? A terrorist group, an unhinged individual, an intelligence agency, a disgruntled worker... the list of possible suspects is endless.
There is little doubt that in the US, when one's political opponents and the media are dismissed as enemies of the people - someone, somewhere is going to take matters into their own hands. It was only a matter of time.
The language the President uses is dangerous and more the thing you see from dictators, not the White House incumbent. Whoever is behind this attempt to shut down criticism of him is likely to have been influenced by his words.
And Trump's hate-filled speeches have to be reported by the media because that's their job. For Trump to blame the media for his own vitriol is either very dumb or accidental genius.
And if the media stopped reporting his speeches, his utterances? If Twitter took away his platform? He'd be lost. He needs the media to get his bigoted message across.
What to do, what to do...
wtfjapan
All I'm saying is, both sides need to come together and cease the name calling and the personal attacks, if neither side does it's just a matter of time before someone will get hurt or much worse. well if Trump doesnt STFU and stop rallying his base with hate and name calling then yes people will get hurt, people need to lead by example and Trump is the one leading, well trying and failing.
Kuya 808
So it turns out this guy a is rabid trump supporter, had a van covered in pro-Trump stickers and posters, also had images of prominent democratic political figures and liberal personalities with crosshairs over their faces.
He also has a substantial online presence which was pretty much pro Trump, anti Democrat/media. He has an extensive criminal record including allegations of making bomb threats. In a 2012 bankruptcy proceeding he stated that he lived with his Mom (he would have been around 50 at that time). He was busted for illegal steroid possession ( he is also a bodybuilder).
He identifies himself as a member of the Seminole tribe and has promoted his native heritage in a number of businesses he has owned including a Native American catering company as well as a dry cleaning firm. He also worked as a road manager for a traveling male exotic dancer troupe.
This guy reminds me of the crazy chick that shot up You Tube. Same kind of narcissism, same kind of crazy.
Attilathehungry
Concerning the current situation of the packages, we can wait and see what results come from the investigation. May turn out to be some stump toothed hillbilly, may turn out to be someone with a more sophisticated political agenda. Lots of talking heads on both sides need to keep their yaps under control though.
kyronstavic
Do you guys ever consider that a sizeable proportion of Trump voters voted for him because they despised the Democrats and/or Clinton more so than they were actively pro-Trump? Ya know, the lesser of two evils thing?
Toasted Heretic
lols
commanteer
I would hope people would be smarter than that, but history doesn't make it look promising.
Chip Star
For the record Scalise was a state senator before he was a rep, which is when he was shot, so I can still call him senator! Sure, that's how it's done.
Goodlucktoyou
Considering who the victims are, it is sure taking a long time.
bass4funk
I agree wholeheartedly.
commanteer
Give it some time. A recession, a currency or stock market collapse, or some other trigger should spark some real fireworks.
Raw Beer
I doubt the bombs were sent be a Trump supporter. This reminds me of the anthrax attacks around 911. Real anthrax was sent to people who opposed foreign aid (to Israel) or the Patriot Act, but plain white powder was sent to those who were pushing for war.
Cochise
ToshiYori, Kyronstavic, I agree.
bass4funk
For all we know it could be something from outside the country, somebody influencing the election, that could be a big possibility that this is a diversion to get both sides to fight, I’m not a conspiracy theory us by any stretch, but that something that can’t be rolled out.
They will find out, they always do.
Attilathehungry
"Inciting violence" is a weasel phrase, means nothing. Actual incitement is a criminal offence, so whatever crap comes out of the mouths of politicians is pale by comparison.
I'd rather look at actual violence. Here, the left is the clear winner. There has been far more violence from the left than the right, far more provocative acts, far more doxxing and shaming.
In any case, it seems that many, if not all, of these "bombs" were actually incapable of exploding and did not contain any explosive material. Almost as if they were meant to be found....
bass4funk
For the record, Scalise is a Senator and can still address him as such
Prior to his congressional tenure, Scalise served for four months in the Louisiana State Senate and twelve years in the Louisiana House of Representatives. On June 19, 2014,
But having said that, as I have stated earlier both sides need to come together people are responsible for their own actions if people listen to some of these out of control Democrats act upon it that’s on the individual, if some people react to some of the often colorful things the president says that’s on them as well, but to really hold these people accountable that’s a very great area we should judge the people that have perpetrated these crimes based on their own actions and merit. People responsible for their own actions and you have to choice whether to act upon it or not to be impulsive or not. is Trump tells me to jump off the building I’m not going to do that because he says so and likewise if the Democrat leadership says the same thing you have the choice whether to act upon it or not.
These people are such a tiny blip on the radar, most are in the boondocks and irrelevant, people like David Duke will desperately clinging onto anybody or anything it’s conservative in attaches need to wait in order to get recognition of some kind, he need to stay relevant in some manner. These people are a joke. And taking them seriously is just too funny, they can’t even fill a full stadium Melissa get maybe one 200 people to come to that little rally’s.
100% Agreed.
ToshiYori
Personally, I find it odd that none of the bombs detonated. As I understand it, package bombs are supposed to explode when the packages containing the bombs are opened. None did. This leads me to believe someone may be attempting to frighten rather than cause injuries or death. That being said, I think the perpetrator may be a misguided Democratic supporter who thinks Republicans will be blamed thereby causing potential Republican voters to switch their votes to Democratic candidates. Or, an equally misguided and even dumber Republican supporter who thinks sending threatening devices to prominent Democrats will somehow result in increased votes for Republican candidates. Regardless of party affiliation of the perp and his\her desired results, the person responsible for mailing the bombs should be charged with hate crimes, terrorist threats, postal crimes, etc., or a combination of multiple charges that will ensure he\she receives a very, very long prison sentence. Also, while mailing the bombs was extremely stupid, mental illness shouldn't be allowed to be entered as a defense during his\her trial.
kyronstavic
@ToshiYori
You're not the only one. Something smells funny about this.
bass4funk
It’s still too early to tell, I don’t want to speculate, you might be right, but it could also be a crazy conservative We really need to see who perpetrated this crime. Usually, if it were a conservative historically speaking they acted on every terrorist act, but liberals have a history of these kinds of acts, the Weather Underground, riots in San Francisco, LA to Oregon and Antifa, Greenpeace, the list goes on and on
bass4funk
Funny, there are
The quotes of the out of control Democrats supported that these people also weren't figuratively speaking.
https://youtu.be/nw9kyYEwg2A
bass4funk
The left almost get a sitting senator murdered, but want to dispel the belief, but with Trump, no it's a slam dunk. ROFL, funny.
Blacklabel
Yet the stamps on the package had no cancellation marks, no postmarks on the envelope, no return address just a name and not enough postage paid to actually enter the system and be delivered.
Plus the article says later some packages were hand delivered. The narrative needs more work.
bass4funk
That's ok, other posters can think the same about you guys.
He said so the other day
Do you think Waters and Holder, Booker and Clinton will stop with their rhetoric of inciting violence?
Holder: "When they go low, we kick them",
Waters: "Get in their faces and go where they hang out and eat and tell them they are not welcome here" or how about
Clinton: "Democrats cannot be civil" "The only thing the Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength"
So I think Trump could dial it back and so should the Democrats that are just as responsible. Trump is no more responsible for these bomb attacks than Sanders is responsible for that crazy man that almost ended Sen, Scalise's life. We are all individuals with independent mind and thought, no one on either side has control of what a fanatic will do.
bass4funk
Not according to the videos on Youtube or do the left have some magic power to disqualify that? Now they're personally acquainted with David Copperfield?
The same for Trump
As well as there is more than enough evidence of the lefts rhetoric that has indeed incited violence.
bass4funk
And the exact same accusatory statements from the left hold no water either
Of course it does, but the left will believe what they want to believe, remember Susan Smart?
bass4funk
"IF" the media does what it wants, the days of serious fair and news reporting from the likes of Bernard Shaw, Tim Russert, Peter Jennings and Brit Hume are
Ok, so no more FNC attacks, big improvement.
Come again?
bass4funk
So what will the left do about it?
Oh, I agree!
And the Democrats are doing a magnificent job at it as well.
Blacklabel
Refer to Chuck and Nancy’s statement and any CNN article on the topic yesterday. All criticized the call for unity, blamed the President any has a disrespectful screw you type tone.
but whatever I guess in your bubble the President’s call for unity and an end to violence was accepted and commended. But that’s not what happened in reality world.
bass4funk
The Democrats with their insidious and confrontational comments haven't called for calm or unity either, neither has msm, in fact they're ratcheting the rhetoric, the President asked for calm, dialed back some of his personal attacks, but if his attackers keep slamming him, this man is not going to allow anyone to punch him without punching back. All I'm saying is, both sides need to come together and cease the name calling and the personal attacks, if neither side does it's just a matter of time before someone will get hurt or much worse.
Blacklabel
Trump spoke and denounced what happened, disavowed it and called for unity and the end to political violence.
CNN and the Dems: no thanks, screw you, #orangemanbad