'Potentially hazardous' substance sent to political offices
The FBI, US Postal Inspection Service and US Capitol Police are running the probe, which involves materials that agents are urging recipients to treat as 'potentially hazardous.'
TL;DR
- Federal agencies are investigating suspicious letters sent to congressional and election offices nationwide.
- The FBI, US Postal Inspection Service, and US Capitol Police are leading the probe.
- Recipients are urged to treat the materials as 'potentially hazardous.'
- Several senators, including Lisa Blunt Rochester, Chris Coons, Alex Padilla, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Chris Murphy, confirmed receiving or having suspicious mail intercepted.
- Election offices in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Idaho, Florida, and Wisconsin were also targeted or had suspicious packages intercepted.
- The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported that a white powder in a received letter was tested and found not to be hazardous.
- The incidents come just weeks before Election Day and are reminiscent of similar threats in 2023.
- Some previous incidents involved letters with threats and traces of fentanyl.
- Associations of election officials condemned the threats against election staff.
- Authorities are working to identify the individual(s) responsible for the letters.