Federal law enforcement agencies are investigating a nationwide wave of suspicious letters containing unknown substances sent to congressional offices and state election headquarters, just three weeks before the midterm elections.
Federal authorities urged recipients to treat the mailings as potentially hazardous as postal inspectors and the FBI work to trace envelopes arriving at official addresses across the United States. Deputy Postal Inspector Brendan Donahue told reporters that investigators are bringing full resources to bear on the threat.
Preliminary information suggests there are over 100 letters circulating in the U.S., according to a notice sent to Senate staff on Thursday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are coordinating the ongoing probe into the mailings sent to various addresses nationwide.
We are committed to protecting our nation’s election officials from threatening and dangerous mail. Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable.
Brendan Donahue, deputy chief inspector at the USPIS
Targeted Senate Offices and Intercepted Mailings
The Senate Sergeant at Arms issued a notice informing congressional staff of the investigation and warning that it is possible some letters may reach their destinations. The House Sergeant at Arms also sent a notice to members warning of the letters sent around the country, suggesting that offices forward district mail to the Capitol complex for rigorous screening using mail hoods, which are screening equipment allowing safe handling.
At least six Democratic Senate offices were targeted, with many of the letters intercepted before delivery by postal inspectors or Capitol Police. The offices of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, California Alex Padilla, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Delaware Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester were among those sent the suspicious pieces of mail, according to confirmations from lawmakers and law enforcement.
Josh Sorbe, a spokesman for Senator Murphy, stated that the office was promptly informed of the letter by the FBI, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the Capitol Police. Staff members followed security and U.S. Postal Service instructions on handling suspicious mail, and Senator Murphy’s office continues to work closely with federal law enforcement.
This incident is a stark reminder of the very real danger facing those who serve the public and who help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric.
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator for California
State Election Offices Face Powdery Dispatches
Beyond Washington, top election officials and secretaries of state in at least 15 states reported receiving or being the intended destination for suspicious packages. In Louisiana, an employee in the secretary of state’s elections division opened a package containing a white powder, prompting an evacuation of the office before law enforcement testing confirmed no harmful substances were present. Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry noted the incident on Tuesday. The Oklahoma State Election Board also evacuated its office after receiving an envelope with a suspicious white powder.
Other election administrators reported that postal investigators intercepted the parcels before arrival. The Ohio secretary of state’s office was the intended recipient of an intercepted package containing white powder, with Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose noting that similar parcels were sent to election officials in multiple states. Election agencies in Maryland, Mississippi, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire also handled suspicious mail pieces that were intercepted by the Postal Service or law enforcement before arriving. The New York State Capitol in Albany and the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne also received suspicious packages, according to emergency responder scanner feeds.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission received a suspicious mail piece on Wednesday, and field testing confirmed no hazardous material was detected. Numerous states, ranging from Idaho to Florida, reported that their election offices either received letters or had them intercepted by the Postal Service.
Let this be very clear: this incident will not shake us.
Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsin elections administrator
Echoes of Past Threats and Industry Condemnation
The current wave of mailings bears a resemblance to security scares ahead of previous national votes. A year earlier, in 2023, suspicious envelopes, some laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl, were sent to election offices in at least six states, leading some election offices to stock up on the overdose reversal medication naloxone.
In response to this week’s mailings, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors issued a joint statement condemning the actions directed at election staff.
Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.
The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors