The ricin scare in Washington: What we know so far

Two letters, including one sent to President Obama, have tested positive for the deadly poison

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney confirmed that a letter sent to President Obama tested positive for the poison ricin, April 17.
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

One day after a letter sent to a U.S. senator tested positive for the poison ricin, federal officials on Wednesday said a second letter addressed to President Obama also contained the toxic substance.

The discovery came as law officers briefly locked down parts of the Capitol amid reports of suspicious packages being delivered to some Senate offices, and at a time of heightened tension in Washington following Monday's attack on the Boston Marathon.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.