FBI investigating death threat and package sent to Rand Paul's home
Sen. Rand Paul during a May 11 Senate hearing in Washington, D.C.. Photo: Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images
The FBI and Capitol Police are investigating a suspicious package containing white powder that was sent to Republican Sen. Rand Paul's home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Monday Politico first reported.
Driving the news: Also in the large envelope was an image containing a death threat, Paul's spokesperson Sergio Gor confirmed in an email to Axios.
- Fox News obtained an image of the threat featuring Paul in bandages after his former neighbor Rene Boucher broke the senator's ribs in a 2017 attack.
- "I'll finish what your neighbor started you motherf--ker," the threat states.
- It's not yet known who sent the large envelope, but Paul tweeted that he takes "these threats immensely seriously."
What he's saying: "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 the Twitter post.
- He added in another tweet that he has been "targeted multiple times now."
Context: Paul noted in a statement to Politco, "Just this weekend Richard Marx called for violence against me and now we receive this powder filled letter."
- Marx tweeted Sunday: "If I ever meet Rand Paul's neighbor I'm going to hug him and buy him as many drinks as he can consume."
- Paul said in a Twitter post Monday night "it is reprehensible that Twitter allows C-list celebrities to advocate for violence against me and my family!"
What they're saying: A Twitter spokesperson declined to comment on Paul's remarks Monday night, but said in an emailed statement that a review found Marx's tweet was not in violation of the company's policies.
- On Tuesday, a spokesperson emailed Axios to say after review the account "was in violation of our glorification of violence policy" and the "account owner is required to remove the Tweet."
- Representatives for the FBI, Capitol Police and Marx did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.