Toxic substance forces closure of Raul Grijalva's office

Toxic substance forces closure of Raul Grijalva's office

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43985.html#ixzz139tzFD5w

By SCOTT WONG | 10/21/10 6:57 PM EDT

Police locked down the Tucson congressional office of Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Thursday afternoon after staffers received a package containing a “confirmed” toxic substance, a Grijalva spokesman said.

A suspicious package with swastikas written on the envelope was mailed Thursday to the Tucson office, where about a dozen staffers work. Upon inspection, it was found the package contained a white powder authorities later determined to be toxic, said Grijalva campaign spokesman Adam Sarvana.

There were no reported injuries and staffers were sent home later in the afternoon.

“Everyone was originally given a clean bill of health in our office,” Sarvana said. “Nobody is suffering from shock but everybody will have thorough testing and all they know right now is that it’s toxic.”

The incident marked the third security issue at Grijalva’s district offices since he called for an economic boycott of Arizona in protest of the state’s new law cracking down on illegal immigration.

Grijalva’s Tucson and Yuma offices were shut down in April after a man called and threatened to “blow everyone’s head off.” In July, Grijalva’s Yuma office was closed after staff discovered a bullet shattered a window there during the night.

The Tucson police and fire departments, including hazardous materials teams, initially responded to the call but have turned over the investigation to the FBI, said Tucson police spokeswoman Diana Lopez. Capitol Police have been notified.

Grijalva, who is facing an unexpectedly tough reelection fight against Republican Ruth McClung, was at his nearby Tucson campaign office when he was notified of the incident, Sarvana said. Grijalva was turned away from the scene when he tried to visit the congressional office to check on staffers.

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