Rand Paul Receives Suspicious Package Containing White Powder, Death Threat

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 16, 2020. Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images

Sen. Rand Paul has denounced threats to him and his family after a suspicious package containing white powder was delivered to his home on Monday.

“I take these threats immensely seriously. As a repeated target of violence, it is reprehensible that Twitter allows C-list celebrities to encourage violence against me and my family,” Paul said in a statement, citing a Politico article.

A senior adviser in Paul’s office told Politico that the senator received a large envelope containing the unknown substance that is currently being examined by the FBI and Capitol Hill police for harmful substances. The sender of the envelope is not yet known.

Over the weekend, Richard Marx, a singer and songwriter, took to Twitter to celebrate the actions of Paul’s neighbor, Rene Boucher, who assaulted the senator in 2017. The attack, which occurred when the senator was doing yard work, left Paul with six broken ribs and other injuries. Boucher pleaded guilty to the assault.

“I’ll say it again: If I ever meet Rand Paul’s neighbor, I’m going to hug him and buy him as many drinks as he can consume,” Marx wrote in a statement on Sunday.

Fox News on Monday also reported that Paul had received an image threatening violence on the envelope with suspicious powder. According to the news broadcaster, the envelope had a doctored picture of a bruised and bandaged Paul with a gun pointed at his head. Below the picture was a threat allegedly stating: “I’ll finish what your neighbor started you [expletive].”

Paul’s office did not immediately respond to a request from The Epoch Times for comment.

An FBI spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times: “At approximately 4:30pm on Monday, the U.S. Capitol Police was notified a letter containing a powdery substance was sent to the Kentucky home of Senator Rand Paul. The person who found the letter called the local sheriff’s office. The USCP and FBI were also notified. An initial test determined the substance is not dangerous. As a precaution, it was taken to a state lab for further testing.”

The bureau added that they are investigating the incident.

In a separate statement, Paul said: “I have been targeted multiple times now, it is reprehensible that Twitter allows C-list celebrities to advocate for violence against me and my family!”

Last summer, Paul and his wife were accosted in Washington by a mob of Black Lives Matter activists who shouted at the senator, issued threats, and called on him to say the name of Breonna Taylor—a woman shot dead by police officers. Several months earlier, Paul had introduced the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act to prohibit no-knock warrants.

Police were required to escort the lawmaker, his wife and other lawmakers to their hotel that evening.

Article updated with a statement from FBI.