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Senate Buildings Still Closed, No One Ill From Exposure to Ricin
Aired February 04, 2004 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities still don't know what the white powder found at a Connecticut postal facility might be. They are fairly certain it is not ricin. Experts will continue to test the substance. The powder, in a letter addressed to the Republican National Committee when it was found.
Authorities are collecting and inspecting unopened mail on Capitol Hill today as they search for the source of the poison ricin. Senate offices remain closed for a second day.
Our Kathleen Koch is watching the investigation from Capitol Hill -- good morning.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, David.
And more questions than answers here today. And a full court press on the investigation. Some 100 Marines arrived on Capitol Hill last night, part of a chem-bio hazmat team that was last deployed here on the Capitol complex grounds during the 2001 anthrax attacks. They are helping Capitol police scour Capitol Hill for any possible other traces of ricin.
Also, sealed barrels full of mail, we have seen them being carted away from the Capitol full of mail that is going to be inspected for possible contamination. And also inspected for threats, though, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, in whose mailroom the ricin was found. His press secretary tells us that to her knowledge, he has received no threats, though if he had, any threatening letters would have been turned over to Capitol Hill police. And at this point, as you said, all three Senate office buildings remain closed for a second day in a row. There will be an announcement at the end of the day whether or not they will be closed tomorrow. All tours of the Capitol still canceled.
And Senator Frist insisting that what is important now is to continue to exercise due caution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Our principal focus at this juncture is the safety of the staff, of the employees, people in the community. Although anthrax is a very different agent than ricin, all of us in this community lived through that and know the impact it can have.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: The Senate and the House do remain in session today, though many of the Senate hearings are being held on the House side. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld right now testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. And good news, also, at this point. The Capitol Hill physician says that no one has come down with any symptoms that would show that they have been definitely exposed to ricin. However, he also admits that there is no diagnostic test that will confirm 100 percent if someone has had a brush with the deadly poison -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, Kathleen Koch on Capitol Hill, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Ricin>
Aired February 4, 2004 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities still don't know what the white powder found at a Connecticut postal facility might be. They are fairly certain it is not ricin. Experts will continue to test the substance. The powder, in a letter addressed to the Republican National Committee when it was found.
Authorities are collecting and inspecting unopened mail on Capitol Hill today as they search for the source of the poison ricin. Senate offices remain closed for a second day.
Our Kathleen Koch is watching the investigation from Capitol Hill -- good morning.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, David.
And more questions than answers here today. And a full court press on the investigation. Some 100 Marines arrived on Capitol Hill last night, part of a chem-bio hazmat team that was last deployed here on the Capitol complex grounds during the 2001 anthrax attacks. They are helping Capitol police scour Capitol Hill for any possible other traces of ricin.
Also, sealed barrels full of mail, we have seen them being carted away from the Capitol full of mail that is going to be inspected for possible contamination. And also inspected for threats, though, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, in whose mailroom the ricin was found. His press secretary tells us that to her knowledge, he has received no threats, though if he had, any threatening letters would have been turned over to Capitol Hill police. And at this point, as you said, all three Senate office buildings remain closed for a second day in a row. There will be an announcement at the end of the day whether or not they will be closed tomorrow. All tours of the Capitol still canceled.
And Senator Frist insisting that what is important now is to continue to exercise due caution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Our principal focus at this juncture is the safety of the staff, of the employees, people in the community. Although anthrax is a very different agent than ricin, all of us in this community lived through that and know the impact it can have.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: The Senate and the House do remain in session today, though many of the Senate hearings are being held on the House side. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld right now testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. And good news, also, at this point. The Capitol Hill physician says that no one has come down with any symptoms that would show that they have been definitely exposed to ricin. However, he also admits that there is no diagnostic test that will confirm 100 percent if someone has had a brush with the deadly poison -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, Kathleen Koch on Capitol Hill, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Ricin>
