Federal authorities are investigating suspicious emails sent to election officials and congressional offices in several states. Above is a USPS mail collection box in Pasadena, California.
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Mario Tama/Getty Images
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailers sent to state election officials and congressional offices. Authorities say some mail contained a white, powdery substance.
It’s not clear who sent the mailer, which was sent to election officials in states including Louisiana, Ohio and Oklahoma, as well as congressional offices. An employee who opened a letter sent to the office Tuesday was not injured but was taken to the emergency room as a precaution, according to a statement from Louisiana Secretary of State spokesman Trey Williams. Law enforcement found no evidence of harmful substances.
According to a communication from the Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) to congressional staff and obtained by NPR, law enforcement officials “are working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered, however, it is possible that some letters reach their destination.”
Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue of the United States Postal Inspection Service said the organization was able to stop the delivery of at least one of the postal shipments.
“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we work closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” Donahue said.
The SAA memo to staff said any suspicious letters, packages or substances “should be treated as potentially hazardous and handled in accordance with established safety protocols”, and warned staff not to handle suspicious letters and not to leave the area where they are discovered.
The note said the mail could be indicated by discoloration, powder emanating from the envelope and postmarks not matching the return address. An image included in the communication included a return address labeled “DSA” and a return address in New York.
The U.S. Capitol Police and SAA did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI said the organization was “investigating a series of suspicious mailers sent to various addresses across the country, including the Secretary of State’s offices and their associated election offices.”
“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” the agency said. “We are also working with our partners to identify the person(s) responsible for the letters.”
The investigation reflects 2,024 incidents in which more than 15 state election offices received suspicious mail.
Now, with less than three weeks until November 3, election officials across the country are working to deliver the midterm elections. In a statement, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said “those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.”
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