Second Ga. Congressman's Office Shut Over Tea Bag Scare

SAVANNAH, GA -- For the second time in four days, a Georgia congressman's office was shut down Monday over a suspicious-package scare apparently caused by tea bags.

A hazmat crew and police canine units were called to the Savannah office of U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter on Monday after the discovery of an envelope that contained a suspicious powder, the Savannah Morning News reports.

Investigators determined the package didn't cause a threat and regular operations at the office were resumed by noon.

On Tuesday, the FBI said the envelope appeared to contain tea.

The scene is almost a carbon copy of the one that played out last week at the Lithonia office of U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson.

Johnson's office was shut down on Thursday when a similar envelope was discovered.

In both cases, FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett in Atlanta said, the envelope contained no threatening message and had no return address.

In a statement Tuesday almost identical to one he shared on Friday, Emmett noted that Tea Party activists have been known to mail tea bags to politicians as a form of political protest.

"It remains to be seen if this was the case in yesterday’s matter, however," Emmett said.

Carter is a Republican and Johnson is a Democrat.

Carter spokeswoman Mary Carpenter told the Morning News that "odd packages" were received at the congressman's Savannah and Brunswick offices late Friday and that the U.S. House's sergeant at arms has been notified.