Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick yesterday declined to say whether he had received one of the letters. “The State Police and the FBI are taking care of that,’’ he said in response to questions. “I am trusting them to do so, and I have great confidence they will. Really, the less we say about it, the better.’’
Asked whether the governor’s security had been tightened yesterday, aides to the governor referred questions to the State Police. A State Police spokesman said the agency does not comment on security matters.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said he received one of the letters but wasn’t overly alarmed.
“We get all kinds of, shall we say, ‘interesting’ mail, so it’s not out of the norm,’’ Pawlenty said yesterday. “It got more attention because it went to so many governors.’’
As of Wednesday, more than 30 governors had received letters saying if they don’t leave office within three days they will be removed, according to an internal intelligence note by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. The note was obtained by The Associated Press.
The FBI expects all 50 governors will eventually receive such letters.
Governors whose offices reported getting the letters included Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Chet Culver of Iowa, Dave Heineman of Nebraska, Jim Gibbons of Nevada, Brad Henry of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Bob McDonnell of Virginia, and Gary Herbert of Utah, where officials stepped up security in response to the letter.
In Nevada, screening machines for visitors and packages were added to the main entrance to the state Capitol as a precaution.
“We’re not really overly concerned, but at the same time we don’t want to sit back and do nothing and regret it,’’ Deputy Chief of Staff Lynn Hettrick said.
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said federal authorities had alerted the governor that such a letter might be coming, and it arrived Monday. Boyd, who described the letter as “nonthreatening,’’ said it was opened by a staffer and immediately turned over to the Michigan State Police.
