Pipe Bomb Maker Used Crude Tools of Terror, Says Former Counter-Terrorism Official
*By Carlo Versano*
An attempted mail bombing of several prominent Democrats and CNN's New York office used techniques that have grown more common among terrorists in recent years, said Jarrod Bernstein, a former counter-terrorism official in the Obama administration.
Bernstein spoke to Cheddar Wednesday afternoon as the [flurry of apparently politically-motivated threats](https://cheddar.com/videos/possible-explosives-sent-to-hillary-clinton-and-barack-obama) tapped into a sense among many Americans that ー less than two weeks before a pivotal election ー the country's political discourse is on a knife's edge.
The devices that were intended for George Soros, former president Barack Obama, former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former A.G. Eric Holder, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), and CNN's New York office appeared similar and part of a "high concept, low technology" trend that worries counter-terrorism officials, Bernstein said.
That trend includes homemade bombs, commandeered vehicles, and anything else that can be used to inflict mayhem, no matter how crudely.
While not particularly high-tech, the devices seemed to be capable of detonating, Bernstein said. "It doesn't need to be a very sophisticated device to do a lot of damage."
The number of devices and the addressees, all high-profile Democrats who are frequent targets of right-wing ire ー including insults from President Trump ー suggested a motivated individual or group trying to influence our political discourse, according to Bernstein.
"I don't think we've ever seen a scare as widespread as this ー this close to an election," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/bombs-and-suspicious-packages-sent-to-cnn-obama-clinton-and-other-high-profile-dems).
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill held its first primetime hearing on Thursday. Cheddar News speaks with legal analyst Tracy Pearson, who breaks down the biggest takeaways.
Fuel and oil prices have risen almost 17 percent since May, making the national gas prices reach nearly $5 a gallon. Andrew Lipow from consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates joined Cheddar News to discuss the future of gas prices. "The biggest issue on the oil market is really events that are beyond our control, which is what is happening over in Europe," he said, regarding the ongoing Russia Ukraine war. Lipow also said he predicted gas prices to hit $5.05 and that he's focused on the Biden administration's overtures in repairing a relationship with Saudi Arabia.
March For Our Lives will be returning this weekend to Washington, DC, in the wake of the recent mass shooting seen throughout the country. Marchers include Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. She joined Cheddar News to discuss the importance of the march and activism in general. "I just think that it's so important to have these rallies because we need to demand to our leaders and politicians that they pass legislation and that and we actually need to see action," she said.
Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow, directors of 'The Big Payback,' join Cheddar News to discuss their new film, 'The Big Payback.' It premieres Saturday, June 11 at the Tribeca Festival.
President Biden proposed a new rule that would add 500,000 chargers for electric vehicles nationwide. The proposal comes amid the rapid shift to EVs with dozens of automakers announcing plans for all-electric fleets within the next decade. But with the new surge will the U.S. have the proper infrastructure to keep up? Scott Painter, founder and CEO of Autonomy.com joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss. "I really think the idea of standardization is a big deal. Standardization certainly makes it much better for everybody to be able to get a charge when they need one," he said.
The House select committee investigating the January 6th riots on Capitol Hill is opening its landmark series of public hearings. Cheddar News speaks with Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who explains how to follow the hearings and what to expect.
Claudia Rosenbaum, freelance reporter for Vanity Fair, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss the race for Los Angeles mayor.
Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer, forced a runoff with the longtime Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, who had been the favorite in the race until an ad blitz from Caruso leaning on the city's issues with crime and homelessness.
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
