Some Republican lawmakers in Tennessee received mail today that contained "a white powder substance," causing part of Nashville's legislative building to go on lockdown for a couple of hours.
This follows Tuesday's incident in Kansas, in which around 100 envelopes containing white powder were sent to public officials across the state. In that instance, according to CNN, the package included a letter that said, in part, "it's important not to choke on your ambition," and was signed by, "your secret despirer."
Before investigators had time to assess today's incident, Tennessee's House Republican Spokesperson Jennifer Easton made sure to lay the blame on Democrats, claiming the mail "contained obvious threats made by a liberal activist specifically targeting Republicans."
From ABC
"The sixth floor has been placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, and hazmat teams are on scene assessing the situation," [House Speaker Cameron] Sexton said in a statement Thursday.
An email sent to building staff on Thursday afternoon said no is allowed to leave or enter the building until further notice.
Easton added that Homeland Security and first responders were investigating and all employees and lawmakers are safe. No injuries were immediately reported.
The 6th floor was eventually reopened, according to the Times Union, but investigators are still running lab tests on the powder.
