Suspicious Letters Containing 'Hazardous' Substances Sent to US Election Offices
Federal authorities are investigating potentially hazardous letters with suspicious substances sent to congressional and state election offices across the U.S. in the weeks before the midterm elections.
Federal authorities are investigating potentially hazardous letters containing suspicious substances that have been sent to congressional and state election offices across the United States.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) stated they are working to trace the mailings, some of which were intercepted before delivery. The agencies did not disclose the number of offices targeted, but several secretaries of state and congressional offices have reported receiving the letters.
These incidents occur just weeks before the U.S. midterm elections, echoing similar security scares involving suspicious mail in the past. "The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to safeguard the public and secure elections for American citizens," the agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday.
This week, both the Oklahoma State Election Board and the Louisiana secretary of state confirmed their offices received letters containing a white powder. The Louisiana office underwent an evacuation after a staff member opened a package on Tuesday, but has since reopened after law enforcement found no evidence of harmful substances.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose reported that his office was the intended recipient of a letter with white powder, but the USPIS intercepted it. A spokesman for Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, also confirmed that his office received a letter with a suspicious substance that was intercepted before reaching the office.
According to emergency responder scanner feeds reviewed by the BBC, suspicious packages were also received at the New York State Capitol in Albany and the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.
These suspicious mailings follow similar events in previous election cycles. Ahead of the 2024 election, vote officials in 17 states received suspicious packages. A year prior, suspicious envelopes, some containing fentanyl, were sent to election offices in at least five states.