Edwards' Campaign HQ Evacuated

A suspicious package addressed to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards forced the evacuation of his campaign headquarters in North Carolina on Thursday, the third time authorities have responded to letters addressed to the office.

Police Capt. Bob Overton said he did not know the contents of the package, but he said authorities have deemed it suspicious.

"We are investigating the package at this time," Overton said.

Edwards officials said the package arrived at campaign headquarters Thursday morning.

"On the advice of the authorities, we evacuated the building and will continue to take every possible precaution," Jonathan Prince, Edwards' deputy campaign manager, said in a written statement.

Postal employees in Chapel Hill intercepted another suspicious package in May after finding it contained a powdery substance. Edwards staffers also evacuated their headquarters office in March after an employee opened a package that contained a powdery substance and what Edwards later deemed "negative comments."

Both packages tested negative for anthrax, the powdery substance that accompanied letters in 2001 that killed five people and sickened 17 others. Those letters were also mailed to lawmakers in Washington and members of the news media just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The FBI announced in March that it launched an investigation into the source of the first letter sent to Edwards' office. FBI officials declined immediate comment Thursday.