Federal agencies are probing suspicious mailings containing unknown powders sent to congressional and state election offices weeks before Election Day.
Federal law enforcement agencies are investigating suspicious letters containing unidentified substances mailed to state election officials and congressional offices across the country. CBS News reported that the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are reviewing envelopes delivered to secretary of state headquarters, regional voting facilities, and legislative suites.
Letters directed to congressional offices
A security alert sent to Senate staff revealed the joint investigation by the FBI, Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Capitol Police, according to PBS NewsHour. The notice pictured an example envelope, warned that the mailings could carry varying styles of postage stamps, and advised employees that any unknown powder or package should be handled as potentially hazardous. Authorities noted that they were trying to intercept remaining packages, though some might reach their destinations anyway.
The danger in Congress appeared focused on the Senate, while the House of Representatives was monitoring reports, NBC News reported. Lawmakers weren’t on Capitol Hill because Congress is on recess before the midterm elections, but staff members were working on site. The notice explained that standard screening and testing procedures apply to mail delivered to the Capitol complex.
Spokespeople confirmed that envelopes targeted at least two Democratic senators. Josh Sorbe, a spokesperson for Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said Murphy’s office received a letter with an unidentified substance. Sorbe noted that safety measures prevented the senator and aides from facing immediate danger. A spokesperson for Sen. Alex Padilla of California stated that the FBI alerted Padilla’s staff that an office was sent a letter with a suspicious substance, though the Postal Service intercepted it before delivery.
Powders sent to state election agencies
Envelopes with suspicious powders also triggered evacuations and safety alarms at state voting departments. In Louisiana, Secretary of State Nancy Landry said an employee in her agency’s Elections Division opened a package Tuesday and discovered a white powder inside. Landry reported that emergency responders tested the substance, discovered no evidence of dangerous material, and confirmed no injuries.
The Oklahoma State Election Board evacuated its building on Tuesday morning after an envelope with a suspicious white powder arrived. Paul Ziriax, secretary of the board, said the incident caused no harm, and police began reviewing the mailing. Ohio’s secretary of state said postal inspectors intercepted a package holding white powder meant for that office, adding that election staff in several states faced similar deliveries.
Why the mailings matter
The letters arrived roughly three weeks before Election Day on Nov. 3, as state election workers prepare voting procedures across the country. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors condemned the incidents, stating that election administrators should not have to fear for their safety while doing their work.
Federal agents handled comparable waves of threatening mail in recent election cycles. Federal investigators probed suspicious mailings sent ahead of the 2024 elections, and in 2023, packages containing white powder reached election offices in six states. Some of those 2023 letters included direct threats along with traces of fentanyl, prompting certain offices to store naloxone for emergency protection.
What investigators are doing next
Postal inspectors and federal agents haven’t confirmed how many letters were mailed, and they haven’t detailed potential links between the packages. The outlets differed slightly on the timeline of public statements, with CBS News reporting that Postal Inspection Service Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue briefed reporters on Wednesday, while PBS NewsHour reported Donahue spoke Thursday.
Donahue stated, “Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable.” In a statement describing the multi-agency response, the FBI said, “Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident.” Investigators said they’re continuing their efforts to identify whoever sent the letters.
