Senate Powder Tests Positive for Ricin

[windansea]

AP BREAKING

WASHINGTON - The Senate majority leader's office apparently has suffered its second bioterror attack in three years, with another suspicious white powder delivered through the mail system — this time laced with poisonous ricin, officials said.

"This is a criminal action," said Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., whose staff discovered the white powder in their Dirksen Senate Office Building mailroom Monday afternoon.

Sixteen people on the floor were decontaminated, and others who might have been in the area were urged to contact Senate officials, Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer told reporters at a late Monday night news conference.

However, no one was expected to get sick, said Frist, who normally uses his Capitol majority leader's office instead of the Dirksen office. If symptoms of ricin poisoning have not surfaced in about eight hours, contamination is unlikely, said Frist, a surgeon before his election to the Senate.

Two out of three tests conducted on the powder indicated ricin, Gainer said. The third test came out negative, and a fourth, more definitive test was under way, with results expected Tuesday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040203/ap_on_re_us/capitol_suspicious_powder

[LibertyorDeath]

1. Suspect number one Karl Rove

[aquart]

2. How does one detect ricin. Is there a ricin meter?

[windansea]

4. B.A.D.D

http://www.osborn-scientific.com/products.htm



BADD boxes can contain up to 30 tests ranging from 30 of one product to 10 packs of 3 different products of your choice including Anthrax, Ricin toxin, and Simulation devices.

[tridim]

7. I think they used the SIM-KIT-10

Simulation Detection Device (Surface/Solution)
http://www.osborn-scientific.com/simulation.htm

[Syrinx]

3. martial law, cancelled elections, anyone?

[jansu]

23. Homeland Security Act provides for just this....

If the terrorist alert goes to RED, then we are under 24 hour house curfew. Can't leave your house, can't cast your vote.....Bush Co. stays in power, until it is safe again. And, remember he told us that this is a never ending war....It will be big enough to scare people into bending over and thanking Bush for saving them!

[Newsjock]

5. I'm betting $5 ...

... that the fourth, "more definitive," test will be negative, and that said news will appear on Page A13 or below of Wednesday's Washington Post.

[izzie]

10. Did I see the Bush's poll numbers are below 50%

We are sure to get these people who are doing this as we have also taken down some of the planes coming into country, and increased the men in the service. I am sure Bush's numbers will go up! Unless people are finally starting to wake up in this country. Or am I just jaded?

[imax2268]

6. yea...

it's only a matter of time...

they will do anything to take the Spotlight off the fubar'd job of BushCo and his Office of Special Plans cover-up...

Wag The Dog anyone...?

[Old and In the Way]

8. Wasn't there an anthrax attack a few years back?

Never caught the perp, even though it was a strain from Ft. Dietrick? I wonder if it's the same person? Is this a warning to our Congress about the upcoming investigations?

[windansea]

9. anthrax attacks directed at Dems

Frist is a pubbie...also ricin far easier to make than the weapons grade anthrax found in previous attacks

[benburch]

11. This ends the Frist investigation.

Now all of the evidence in the probe of GOP wiretapping of Democrat computer files will be "contaminated" and will have to be destroyed...

How convenient.

[windansea]

16. uh huh....

decontamination!!

[bahrbearian]

20. Decontaminate by Burning or Shredding?

[TryingToWarnYou]

12. If true, ...

Would anyone else find it funny that there has been more WMD/CNB agents found in the US than in Iraq?

[laylah]

13. How convenient n/t

[Dover]

14. NYTimes Story - Ricin sent to Frist

Letter to Senate Leader May Hold a Poison
By CARL HULSE

Published: February 3, 2004


ASHINGTON, Feb. 2 — A suspicious substance was found in the mail room of the Senate office of the majority leader, Senator Bill Frist, on Monday afternoon, and officials said repeated tests indicated the presence of the poison ricin.

The Capitol Police said they received the report of the material in a room of the Dirksen Senate Office Building adjacent to the Capitol about 3 p.m. and conducted initial tests that came back positive for ricin. About 16 workers, who were on the fourth floor, were evacuated, and aides said the material was sent away for testing. Two of these three tests were positive, Police Chief Terrance Gainer said.


Officials said that the ventilation system had been shut down and that the mail room workers had been moved elsewhere in the building for medical supervision and decontamination. Dr. Frist, a heart-lung transplant surgeon who wrote a book advising the public on how to prepare for a bioterror attack, said no one had shown signs of sickness.

"Most importantly, nobody has been hurt," Dr. Frist said.....>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/03/politics/03POIS.html

[Pax Argent]

15. .......and on the eve of seven Democratic primaries

How very conveeenieent.

[jean]

25. haha - thanks for that, "Church Lady"

[bluedog]

17. remember

that Frists computer was taken to investigate the hacking of the Democrats plans.....

also when bush was running in 2000 he claimed his debate tapes were stolen by the Democratic party and it turned out it was his own people.....

I do not trust these people ....they will do ANYTHING to get attention off bush and the WMDS and this so called bush budget.....

Beware of these slimy Republicans!!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

18. ricin message from bush to repukes "shut up & tow the party line" or else.

many rethugs were/are speaking out against bush*s budget, no WMD's debacle, immigration policy, funding of the arts, Rx Bill. many rethugs have already publicly voiced their opposition ....this ricin is a shot across theeir bow to remind them just who the fucking boss


or

wasn't Frist's computers conficated a few weeks ago by the FBI because of an investigation into the hacking of democrats computers by the repukes on the hill?...hmmm i forgot that this may very well be related...now no one can get in those buildings not even the senators...who knows what will be either missing, planted, copied and hacked when they're allowed to return

WOW nice cover "ricin" Rove!

[donsu]

19. who wants to murder Frist? he has murderous enemies?

and I too thought the bushgang was issuing a threat to other Repukes to shut up with their complaints.

[Mr. Peanut]

26. Guess the Inoculation Didn’t Take Yet

http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/nea/iraq/text2003/0317frist.htm

Frist: Removing Saddam Hussein Is Best Defense Against His WMD

When War Is the Best Medicine
By Bill Frist

... And we know that Hussein has admitted to having quantities of weaponized anthrax, botulinum toxin, aflatoxin and ricin. He has also tested plague, typhus, cholera, camel pox and hemorrhagic fever. And we know he has mustard gas and the VX nerve agent....

... Getting rid of Saddam Hussein's regime is our best inoculation. Destroying once and for all his weapons of disease and death is a vaccination for the world....

[LeftCoast]

21. I don't see why people feel this is a positive for Repubs

The fact that the Senate is being hit with chem warfare agents today reminds people that they still haven't caught the Anthrax mailer (and what about Osama?), and they haven't been able to prevent another attack (ie today's).

So, tell me again how this is good for Republicans?

[louis-t]

30. A lot of top b*sh admin officials won't be testifying at hearings today.

That's how. (I'll try to post link, I'm not good at this.)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040203/ts_nm/security_capitol_dc

[MetaTrope]

22. Frist being a surgeon...

It might have been easy to pick up some medically-purposed ricin from John Hopkins...

[demgrrrll]

24. I don't know anymore. This black is white up is down maladministration

is so cynical and so corrupt that I always suspect the worst.
In my opinion this is one of many reasons that that need to
go. They have lost the trust of most sentient human beings.
If they said the sun was shining I would go outside and check it
out for myself. It is the timing of these things that is suspect.
I would bet if you did a time line of any major Democratic traction or of anytime that they needed the Democrats to roll over on a vote you could find a correlating storyline to move the process in their direction.

[chookie]

27. This proves we need Bush

There is something distinctly creepy about this incident.

Notice how one of the Talking Points is "Democrats attacking President Bush." Isn't it curious that on the eve of Super Tuesday, some nasty person would target the brave patriotic Republican Party with a biological agent?

They *want* us to think that it is Al Qaeda (ricin was found in a highly publicized bust in London), or some domestic evildoer out to get Bush, just like the candidates.

Pretty creepy that Frist is showing us how lucky we are that we not only have a brave steady hand on the ship of state in our beloved George W, but how ever luckier we are to have a Real Doctor, when biological terror could strike at any time! Lucky lucky us! It really takes your mind off the fact that we are all going to hell in a handbasket!

Maybe it's not a tightly organized conspiracy, but I think they are being aided by similarly deranged people among us, who also want us to think we need Bush, The Right Man at the Right TimeTM.

The spin is just meshing together too neatly when this shit happens....

[Supply Side Jesus]

28. How much Ricin does it take

to whack a guy, eh?
So it's a poison, cool, but how much consumption is needed?
I'm curious, because if direct consumption is needed then this ain't nothing but a hoax intended to scare the shit out of sheeple to vote for the rethugs. YET, if takes only a whiff, then he must have pissed off someone.

[mvd]

29. I wonder if it's some rogue person/people

In the CIA - and since they are Republicans, things are being kept tight-lipped.

[Spirochete]

31. The last time

a deadly substance was sent to the Senate majority leader, after the next election, he was no longer the Senate majority leader. Hope the trend continues...