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Envelopes with white powder sent to four GOP lawmakersInitial field tests for anthrax negative
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Envelopes containing white, chalky powder were delivered to four Republican lawmakers Friday, but initial field tests were negative for the presence of anthrax, authorities said. More tests are planned and an investigation is under way. One source said the FBI has picked up "three batches" of letters. One congressional aide said he was told by Capitol Police there was nothing to worry about. But further tests, which could take up to three days, are planned to determine if the powder contained any anthrax spores that were killed in the irradiation process that all Capitol mail must go through. One of the envelopes was sent to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and the other three were sent to the offices of freshmen Republican senators: Georgia's Saxby Chambliss, Minnesota's Norm Coleman and Tennessee's Lamar Alexander. John Feehery, a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, said all of the envelopes had a Seattle, Washington, postmark. The envelopes, described as normal business type, were received at the offices Friday. A spokeswoman for the Capitol Police said the envelopes appeared to come from the same source because of the postmark, but none of them had a return address. She did not know if they contained any threatening messages. Michelle Hitt, press secretary to Chambliss, said the envelope was opened at about 11:45 a.m. by a staff assistant. It contained a single blank, white sheet of paper, she said. When the assistant opened the letter, white powder fell into his lap. He immediately called police. There was no evacuation. Chambliss' office is in the courtyard of the Russell Senate Office Building, a temporary location because of crowding. At Coleman's temporary office, in the basement of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, an aide said the envelope was opened at 10 a.m. Chief-of-staff Tom Mason said the envelope was empty except for the white powder, which fell onto the shirt of the attendant who opened it. After testing the substance, Capitol Police told staff members there was nothing to worry about, Mason said. He described the reaction to the suspicious envelope as "terrific, calm and professional." The envelope sent to DeLay's office was not opened as the staffer who handled it felt a "crunchy" substance inside and called authorities. -- CNN Capitol Hill Producer Ted Barrett, Correspondent Mike Brooks and CNNRadio Congressional Correspondent John Bisney contributed to this report.
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