A threatening letter with a white powder was sent to Congressman Anthony Weiner’s local office today, related to his support of national health care legislation. Police quickly field-tested the substance and determined it was not hazardous.
The letter was discovered at the congressman’s office in Kew Gardens and police were immediately notified, Weiner said in a statement. Police evacuated the office and haz-mat crews decontaminated nine employees as a precaution.
A more sophisticated lab test at the Department of Environmental Protection would determine exactly what the substance was.
The letter was handwritten in block letters and directly threatened Weiner for his vote in the sweeping federal health care legislation which passed earlier this week, police said. The postmark indicated it was mailed from within New York City, and investigators were looking into who may have sent it.
Many Democrats around the country who supported the new legislation have had bricks hurled through windows and menacing obscenity-laced phone messages left. Some have received faxes bearing the image of a noose.
Weiner said the field office in Queens will remain closed until the investigation is completed.
“My first priority is the safety of my staff and neighbors,” Wiener said. “The authorities are currently taking steps to investigate and resolve the situation.”
After the passage of the bill, Weiner, who represents Brooklyn and Queens, made the rounds on several local television stations speaking on the proposed benefits of the new legislation. He appeared on “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News on Wednesday night.
Police believe today’s letter is the only threatening missive or phone call sent to a legislator in New York since the bill passed.
{1010 WINS/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
