Recall Gascon campaign office receives white powder, hate symbols in mail

2022-06-25 02:46:32 By : Ms. Tracy Zhou

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An envelope containing an unknown white powder and hate symbols was mailed to one of the offices of the campaign to recall Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, a spokesperson for the group confirmed.

Tim Lineberger, a Recall Gascon spokesperson, said the envelope was sent to the office in one of the return petition envelopes on Thursday, which led to an evacuation of staff.

Inside it was a white powdery substance, and curse words and swastikas were drawled out, Lineberger told The Post.

The LAPD was immediately called and responded with its hazmat and bomb squads, Lineberger said.

LAPD spokesperson Office Matthew Cruz said the agency got the call around 4 p.m. of a “report of an unknown powder.”

Tim Rosales, of the Recall Gascon campaign, tweeted a photo of the envelope with white powder spread on a table.

“White powder and hate speech symbols just found in one of our #RecallDAGeorgeGascon return petition envelopes,” Rosales said. “Authorities have been notified and we are making sure our great volunteers are ok. There are a few bad/sick people out there.”

Seven volunteers and staff were at the office when the envelope was opened, Lineberger said.

“Everyone is OK,” Lineberger said. “This is a very crucial time (in the recall campaign) and we are losing hours, but of course our first and foremost concern is for our staff and volunteers.”

Lineberger said the office has received hate mail before, but never powder or racist remarks until today. People at the office were told to leave while officers in hazmat suits looked at the substance, he said.

No injuries have been reported so far.

The recall effort against Gascon has picked up momentum in recent weeks as anger mounts over his soft-on-crime policies. He’s recently gotten heat for making a 2021 plea deal on a gun charge with a man that only resulted in probation. Earlier this month, that man, William Flores, shot and killed two El Monte police officers.

To get on the ballot, a total of 566,857 signatures — 10 percent of total Los Angeles County registered voters — must be submitted to the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office by July 6.

Petitions need to be mailed out by Friday or returned to a Recall Gascon office by June 30, the campaign said on its website.