FBI investigates suspicious mail sent to US election and Senate offices

The FBI and US Postal Inspection Service are investigating suspicious mailings sent to election offices and congressional addresses across the United States, less than three weeks before the 3 November midterm elections. Some letters contained an unknown substance, the FBI said, and investigators are trying to identify whoever sent them. [4] [8]

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Election Board said it received an envelope containing white powder and evacuated its office. Its secretary, Paul Ziriax, said no staff were harmed and the incident would not affect its ability to conduct elections. [1]

In Louisiana, an employee opened a letter containing white powder, prompting the evacuation of the elections division. Deputy secretary of state Trey Williams told the Louisiana Illuminator that preliminary tests at the office did not identify the powder as harmful and that voter registration was not interrupted. State police said the material was passed to the FBI for further testing. [5] [6]

Ohio’s secretary of state, Frank LaRose, said on Wednesday that postal investigators intercepted a letter containing a powdery white substance before it reached his office. He said county election boards had been alerted. [2]

The offices of senators Chris Murphy and Alex Padilla were also notified about suspicious letters. Murphy’s spokesman said the senator and his staff were not in immediate danger; Padilla’s office said its letter was intercepted by the postal service. [7] [4] A Senate security notice obtained by the Associated Press warned that some letters could still arrive despite efforts to intercept them. [8]