'It's Devastating & Deeply Disturbing': Debbie Wasserman Schultz On Having Her Name Used On Pipe Bombs
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HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) - Three days after her name was used on the packaging for a series of pipe bombs sent to some of the country's top Democrats, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz cast her ballot in the November election Friday and spoke out about the pipe bombs.
"We are not going to be knocked down by violence and vitriol and venom," she told the media outside the Hollywood Branch Library.
On Friday afternoon, Wasserman Schultz issued this statement on the arrest of suspected mail bomber Cesar Sayoc:
"I'm extremely grateful to the brave women and men in law enforcement who swiftly apprehended this suspect and are working tirelessly to keep us safe. I will remain in direct contact with law enforcement as this ongoing investigation continues. The suspect who was apprehended in no way represents the character of our community or what we stand for. I'm confident that this attack on our democracy will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We will never let those who use violence intimidate us or keep us from doing our jobs. Love, compassion, and kindness will always win out over hate."
Earlier on Friday, the Democratic Congresswoman urged her constituents to vote early and help elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
And also spoke about her name being used in the recent wave of mailed pipe bombs.
"It's devastating and deeply disturbing to have my name used in that way," she said. "Whoever did this, you will be found, you will be prosecuted, and you will not stop us from continuing to do the work that we do everyday."
WATCH DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ ON HER NAME BEING USED IN CONNECTION WITH PIPE BOMB CASE
The FBI confiscated a dozen pipe bomb packages sent to former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder, California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, major Democratic donor George Soros, and actor Robert De Niro. A suspicious package was also sent to former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's headquarters in Manhatten, New York.
Friday morning, authorities intercepted suspicious packages intended for Sen. Cory Booker at the Opa-locka mail facility and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in New York.
All of the packages had a return address of "Debbie Wasserman Shultz" and the address of her Sunrise office, according to the FBI. Whoever sent the packages misspelled the congresswoman's last name.
"I can't imagine that anyone would do this and we are going to make sure to get to the bottom of this and bring this person to justice," said Wasserman Schultz just moments before learning that one person was taken into custody in connection with the pipe bombs in the parking lot of an auto parts store in Plantation.
The motive for the pipe bombs is unknown, but the recipients are all prominent targets of right-wing criticism and, in many cases, of President Donald Trump himself.