Romney on suspicious packages: ‘Hate acts follow hate speech’

Utah Senate candidate Mitt Romney said Wednesday that a series of suspicious packages sent to prominent Democratic officials were “sadly unsurprising” given the country’s “rabid” political rhetoric.

“Disgusting, vile threats and actions against fellow Americans and our institutions are sadly unsurprising: hate acts follow hate speech,” Romney tweeted.

“It is past time for us to turn down and tune out the rabid rhetoric,” the 2012 GOP presidential candidate added.

Disgusting, vile threats and actions against fellow Americans and our institutions are sadly unsurprising: hate acts follow hate speech. It is past time for us to turn down and tune out the rabid rhetoric.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) October 24, 2018

The Secret Service intercepted packages earlier Wednesday addressed to former President Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton. A similar package arrived Wednesday morning at CNN’s New York City offices addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan.

Authorities have also intercepted packages addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and former Attorney General Eric Holder. The packages reportedly had Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s (D) contact information listed for the return address. Wasserman Schultz said she is “deeply disturbed” that her name was attached.

{mosads}A similar device was discovered Monday at the home of billionaire philanthropist George Soros late Monday. Soros is an ardent supporter of liberal causes and Democratic politicians, and has been the subject of conspiracy theories pushed by far-right figures and some conservative politicians.

During his administration, President Trump has explicitly criticized each of the individuals who were targeted by the suspicious packages. In remarks at the White House, the president called for unity and pledged a full investigation, but did not mention any of the people targeted by name.

“I just want to tell you that in these times, we have to unify,” Trump said. “We have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the Untied States of America.”

Numerous Republicans and Democrats condemned the acts and called for an easing of political hostilities.

Some lawmakers and Democratic leaders have pointed to Trump’s attacks of Democrats at campaign rallies and elsewhere. He has labeled the Democratic Party an “angry mob,” and attacked news outlets as the “enemy of the people.”

Republicans have, in recent months, seized on protests from liberal activists, some of whom have confronted lawmakers in public, as a sign of deteriorating discourse.

Romney has periodically criticized Trump’s rhetoric as he campaigns to replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). The former Massachusetts governor was once an ardent critic of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him a “phony.”

He has since said that he agrees with many of the president’s policies, and will speak out on issues of “substantial significance.”