FBI hunts mystery powder sender as suspicious letters hit election offices and Democratic senators across 15 states
Letters with unknown substances were mailed to congressional and Secretary of State election offices across multiple US states three weeks before Election Day, triggering a joint FBI and Capitol Police investigation.
The FBI, US Postal Inspection Service and Capitol Police have launched a nationwide investigation after envelopes containing a mystery white substance were mailed to election offices and Democratic senators with less than three weeks remaining before the November 3 midterm elections. Targets included the offices of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic senators Alex Padilla of California, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons of Delaware, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Suspicious packages arrived at election offices in at least 15 states; authorities intercepted some before delivery, and preliminary testing indicated the substance was not hazardous.
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry evacuated her Baton Rouge elections office on October 13 after a worker opened a package and found white powder inside.
The Senate Sergeant at Arms warned staff that some letters could still slip through despite ongoing interception efforts.
Investigators have yet to establish whether the letters sent to congressional offices are connected to those directed at state election officials.
