For sale: Lead

How fucking stupid.

Seven items sold in Capitol Hill gift shops have been removed after it was discovered that they contained high and “potentially lethal” levels of lead, according to a report released yesterday by House Government Reform Committee Democrats.

The products were removed from store shelves a month ago when Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) notified gift shops that preliminary reports showed that some products had unsafe lead levels.

“These items contained enough lead to seriously harm children who handle, mouth, or ingest them. Their presence in Capitol gift shops is an unnecessary risk to children,” the report says.

Capitol bracelets and eagle pendants, as well as a Capitol dome pin, Capitol charm and souvenir spoon all contained high levels of lead, the report said. In all, 13 items were tested. One $4.95 silver-plated bracelet contained 38 percent lead, a potentially lethal amount, the report says.

On the plus side, it appears that Barack Obama has finally done something in Congress.