Update: White Powder Sent to Rep. Weiner with Note about Health Care

[UPDATE BELOW] A health care reform opponent sent a letter containing a suspicious white powder to outspoken health care reform supporter Rep. Anthony Weiner's Kew Gardens district office, according to police scanner reports. Wire dispatches indicate that nine people are being decontaminated after potential exposure to the substance, which was sent in a letter "making reference to President Obama's healthcare reform bill."

Authorities were dispatched to the Kew Gardens Road office at some time before 1:50 p.m., and officials are attempting to identify the substance. The phones rang busy at the Congressman's Kew Gardens office and his Sheepshead Bay office (an employee at the Congressman's Rockaway office declined to comment on the incident, but took a message). Weiner, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, has made a name for himself as an adamant backer of health care reform. Last night, he squabbled with Fox News pundit Bill O'Reilly over the bill.

Since the health care reform vote passed the House on Sunday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told Politico that some Democratic lawmakers have faced threats of violence. Talking Points Memo has posted a handy map highlighting reports of "vandalism and threats against Democrats."

Update (4:15 p.m.): In a statement issued to the media, Weiner confirmed that his staff had been sent a suspicious substance, and noted that his Kew Gardens office will remain closed until law enforcement officials finish their investigation:

Earlier today an envelope containing white powder and a threatening letter was delivered to my community office in Kew Gardens. The NYPD was immediately alerted and have responded appropriately by sending a Haz-Mat team. Any questions related to their response should be directed to the NYPD. My first priority is the safety of my staff and neighbors, and the authorities are currently taking steps to investigate and resolve the situation.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Muessig in News on March 25, 2010 3:38 PM

Comments [rss]

Elm Street

Look closer!

Ignoring these folks while they get prepared for war is not a insignificant:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=377530481902&ref=nf

Fadlo K. Shell

It's funny...where were all these teabaggers during the eight years Bush and Co. were expanding the deficit and driving this country into the ground?

They all just seemingly appeared from nowhere after January, 2009.

But they insist it's not about race.

No, not at all.

HOTCUP

wait -- wtf is the answer to o'reilly's question??

S.K.

Bill O'Reilly is too chicken to run for office himself. Weiner was elected fair and square.

blink

The US govt. is radicalizing its population and now it's upset? Sounds like a menopausal woman to me.

mtauser

One needs to be self aware of the best of mankind, not the worst. Anthony Weiner and this healthcare bill represent making society horrible for us all, not improving our lives, but rather taking away from the will of the people.

These rallies of violence show how angry the american people are and they have every right to be.

Come November we need to vote the democratic house out of office and change back to the Republican majority.

mtauser

While I didn't commit this act, and I would like the name and address of the responsible party to come forward, considering Weiner is my representative, I can say that I adamently disagree with him on the issue, and I do believe that we need to do more to get a new GOP house member in place in this district.

He was targetted for good reason. I myself am a tea party supporter and am now considering going to the tea party in NYC on April 15th 2010 at City Hall Park in the evening. We need to do more and this healthcare bill is just flat out ludicrous.

Weiner wanted to keep open Parkway Hospital under the Berger Commission which in fact was run horribly and someone involved already got jail in a fraud case. Weiner called it the CHEAPEST HOSPITAL IN THE STATE when in fact it was the crappiest hospital of which no resources were needed for. I still remember walking home from work when that crappy hospital was marketting right in front of me, which I knew was horrible and I thought it was a complete waste of resources and space that could have been used for something better.

I think its time for a change. I would love to announce for candidacy to replace Anthony Weiner in the House right here and USE THE GOTHAMIST AS MY FORUM TO DO SO. ALAS I am not running and hopefully we can find a good GOP Candidate who is also a tea party supporter to fight the good fight for us.

Weiner: WRONG ON HEALTHCARE. If left up to him you would have died at Parkway Hospital because it was the CHEAPEST hospital in the state.

Politburo

There is never a "good reason" for anyone to be targeted by a terrorist attack.

Dead Himmler

I predict that you will change your mind on the healthcare bill when you'll have to use certain mental health facilities in the very near future.

JacqueMehoff

there's plenty of Italian conservatives in western NY that fits that bill. including paladino who's mentioned here recently. what is it with Italians?

dadoc

Don't forget, having your cousin lob a brick thru your window, mail you some white powder, or hang a noose over your door (sound familiar?) gets you a lot of free media facetime and demonizes your opponents on an issue. There will be many, many such non-lethal reports in the days to come. Both sides are scrambling to manufacture their own media events, and rail against such horrible things and the philosophies that promote them. Oh, except for the ones where someone takes a round to the head. Those are the real ones.

Amanda Harletsch

Lets NOT talk about the RAMPANT RADICALISM of the right!

Let's think these events are isolated....sure!!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=357904131902

dadoc

I really was just talking about the fear-mongering and incestuous media BS by both "sides". All are equally guilty of such. But "the people" suffer for it.

Amanda Harletsch

Yes, let's ignore the very "pacifist" propaganda of FAUX NEWS!

Like Glenn Beck is calling to passiveness, or in-action, or to concede, or to even debate... How can we even think of the right ACTING ON THEIR CRAZY ideas. There are many outlets of fabricated "truths" that radicals on the right follow the rage and the hunger for retaliation...

How can you be that cynic in favor of the crazies on this equation!?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=9883943

Amanda Harletsch

Teabaggers are just displaying their core values: extremism and fear!

A democracy is not such if it not 100% republican.

Wars and corporate corruption have sunk this country in a horrible deficit, yet t they blame it all in the benefits of health care?!

When would the "instigators of violence" will be prosecuted!?

Freedom of speech should be responsible!

This is another incident of these crazy ass "patriots:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34934.html

nik13

Amanda, have you ever watched pacific Ed Schultz or suave Olbermann? Or that famous comedienne Joy Behar? Love fests, right?

Amanda Harletsch

what you are missing here is that Liberals are actually more flexible and better informed than conservatives, SO even though there a FEW very angry liberals in media outlets, their audience don't GO CRAZY and PARANOID like teabagers do, because there is this thing called REASON on their side.

iamdmg

yes

I am bigoted against people mailing bio-weapons (real or fake) to other people based soley on their politics.

or based on anything really...I wish we could keep the bio-weapons in the movies where they belong!