White Powder Letters Sent to Capitol Hill and Election Offices in Three States; FBI and Postal Inspectors Investigating
Federal investigators are tracking a wave of white powder letters mailed this week to congressional offices and to state election offices in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Ohio, three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service say they are working to identify whoever sent them. No injuries have been reported, and the powders examined so far in Oklahoma and Louisiana were found harmless or not harmful on preliminary tests.
The Senate notice that disclosed the congressional side of the investigation was first reported by Punchbowl News.
WHAT THE SENATE WAS TOLD
On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms emailed chiefs of staff, administrative managers and state directors that the Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and U.S. Capitol Police were "investigating multiple letters containing suspicious substances that were mailed to various addresses nationwide, including multiple Congressional offices," according to the notice obtained by Fox News Digital. "Law enforcement officials are working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered, however, it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations," it said, adding that any suspicious letter or substance "should be treated as potentially hazardous."
The Associated Press, which also obtained the message, reported that the threat in Congress appeared limited to the Senate, with the House monitoring the situation. It was not immediately clear which lawmakers were targeted.
The notice included a photo of one envelope with a return address of 75 Maiden Lane in New York City, a building the Democratic Socialists of America formerly listed on its membership forms, the New York Post and Fox News reported. A DSA representative told the Post the group "has not occupied this office address since 2013." Investigators have not named a suspect, and a return address on an envelope does not establish who mailed it.
The notice landed 25 years to the day after an anthrax-laced letter was opened in then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office on Oct. 15, 2001. The 2001 anthrax mailings killed five people and sickened at least 17.
WHITE POWDER LETTERS HIT ELECTION OFFICES IN THREE STATES
The election-office letters came first. On Tuesday morning, the Oklahoma State Election Board received an envelope containing a "suspicious white powder" at its office inside the State Capitol in Oklahoma City. The office was evacuated, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma City Fire Department and the Oklahoma National Guard responded, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said in a statement. "Thankfully, no one from the State Election Board staff was harmed as a result of this incident," Ziriax said. "We want to assure Oklahoma voters that today's incident does not impact our ability to conduct elections." The Oklahoman reported Wednesday that officials said the powder was harmless.
The same day in Baton Rouge, an Elections Division employee at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office opened a package around 12:20 p.m. and found a white powder inside. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have evacuated the Elections section and turned off the building's air conditioning," Secretary of State Nancy Landry said. The employee was taken to an emergency room as a precaution and was unharmed, Deputy Secretary Trey Williams said. Preliminary on-site tests did not identify the powder as harmful, Williams said, and Louisiana State Police said a sample was sent to the FBI's crime lab. Online voter registration, which closed that night, was not interrupted.
In Ohio, the letter never arrived. Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Wednesday that U.S. Postal Service investigators intercepted a letter containing "a powdery white substance" addressed to his office. "Fortunately, delivery of the letter was preempted by investigators at the U.S. Postal Service, who are dealing with similar mailings sent to election officials in multiple states," LaRose said. The FBI is handling the case, he said, and Ohio's county boards of elections have been told "to be vigilant in the days ahead."
WHAT THE FBI AND POSTAL INSPECTORS ARE SAYING
The FBI has declined to confirm specific incidents or locations. In a statement, the bureau said it and the Postal Inspection Service are "investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices." Some of the letters "contained an unknown substance," it said, and investigators are "working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters."
Deputy Postal Inspector Brendan Donahue told reporters Thursday that "any threat or attack on election officials is unacceptable," the AP reported. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said in a joint statement that they are "deeply concerned" and that election officials "should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties."
A PATTERN BEFORE RECENT ELECTIONS
Powder mailings have preceded each of the last two national votes. In November 2023, election offices in several states received letters containing white powder, some of which later tested positive for fentanyl, disrupting ballot counting in local elections. In September 2024, officials in about 20 states received similar letters; the powders proved to be non-lethal substances such as flour or baking soda. Mailing any powder with the intent to intimidate or cause panic is a federal crime, even when the powder is harmless.
As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests had been announced and no one had publicly claimed responsibility. The Digital Free Press will update this story as laboratory results and further details become available.
Sources: Associated Press; NBC News; Fox News; New York Post; Forbes; Fox 5 DC; Louisiana Illuminator; WAFB; News 9 Oklahoma; Oklahoma City Free Press; The Oklahoman; UPI; National Association of Secretaries of State.
Comments