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).
Heading into 2022, the eyes of political nerds like us are fixed on statehouses across the country. State legislatures are in the process of taking the data from the 2020 census and using it to draw new congressional districts. The process has major implications for midterms, as Republicans could retake the majority just by gerrymandering enough seats into their column. In Maryland, state level Democrats are considering several maps, one of which would completely draw out the only Republican from the state in Congress.
Bruce DePuyt, senior reporter at Maryland Matters, and Helen Brewer, legal analyst at Princeton's Electoral Innovation Lab, join Cheddar Politics to discuss.
Today is Veterans Day, a day each year that gives us a chance to honor our service members and reflect on the issues they face in our armed forces. One issue that's gotten a lot of scrutiny recently is the handling of sexual assault cases in the military. The military has long been criticized for how it handles cases of sexual assault, with particular attention paid to how cases are investigated and prosecuted usually within the chain of command. The defense department has said sexual assault cases will be removed, but it's not the same as Congress changing the law itself.
Lory Manning, retired U.S. Navy captain and the director of government operations at the Service Women's Action Network, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Greenwood, a digital banking platform aimed at supporting Black and Latino businesses and clients, is launching its very own GreenBook. Named after the historic publication for Black travelers during the era of Jim Crow, the online guide will provide a directory of Black- and Latino-owned businesses across the country. Ryan Glover, the founder and chairman of Greenwood, joined Cheddar to provide additional details about the listings.
President Biden's infrastructure plan will be pumping billions of dollars into the EV sector. David Shepardson, Correspondent at Thomson Reuters, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to break down all of the details.
Al Root, Senior Writer at Barron's, joined Wake Up With Cheddar's Jill Wagner to break down who qualifies for the proposed EV tax credits and why some automakers aren't too pleased about extra incentives for vehicles made at union plants.
Jill Wagner is joined by Baker to talk about kids and vaccines: we finally know how many young kids are getting vaccinated. Plus, Democrats are working on a Plan B for paid family leave. And the salad chain Sweetgreen goes public.
A breakthrough deal between the U.S. and China when it comes to climate has finally been reached. The two countries have pledged to work together to curb carbon emissions. Amy Harder, executive editor at Cipher, joined Cheddar News to discuss more.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit GM's 'Factory Zero' plant in Detroit, where mass production of its electric vehicle fleet will get underway. Biden is likely to tout his recently passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan, which allocates $7.5 billion toward EV infrastructure.
