Law enforcement investigating suspicious substances sent in the mail to multiple election and congressional offices

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN

(CNN) — Law enforcement agencies are investigating suspicious substances mailed to election offices nationwide and several congressional offices, according to Senate and law enforcement officials.

Election offices in at least eight states received suspicious letters in the mail containing a white powdery substance this week, prompting an investigation from the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service.

On Thursday, the Senate Sergeant at Arms said letters containing “suspicious substances” had also been sent to multiple congressional offices, and those incidents are under investigation by the USPIS, FBI and Capitol Police.

It’s unclear if there is a link between the letters sent to election offices and the congressional offices.

Suspicious mail sent to election offices in at least 8 states

Offices at the Arizona State Capitol complex were evacuated Thursday after staff opened an envelope filled with white powder, according to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, prompting a law enforcement and hazmat response.

Officials in Louisiana and Oklahoma said their election offices received such letters Tuesday and were also evacuated while law enforcement responded.

Election officials in Georgia, Maryland and Ohio said their offices were also targeted this week, but the envelopes were intercepted before delivery.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission said in a statement Thursday the agency received suspicious mail this week that was examined by authorities and deemed not dangerous. Officials in Nebraska also received a suspicious envelope, which was not opened and turned over to the FBI, the secretary of state’s office said in a statement Thursday.

There have been no reported injuries in any of the incidents.

In a statement Wednesday night, the FBI said “a series of suspicious mailings” have been sent to “various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices.”

“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” the FBI said. “We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters.”

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said they were “deeply concerned” by the incidents.

“As we have each stated in the past, threats against election officials and workers have no place in our democracy,” said a joint statement from the two organizations. “Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.”

Election officials across the country are no strangers to suspicious or threatening mail. Powder-containing packages were sent to election officials in at least six states just weeks before the 2024 presidential election.

The incidents this week show that “in the current threat environment, election and law enforcement officials must be prepared to address a broad range of cyber and physical threats,” John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, told CNN.

“The bad news (is that) the threat is rapidly evolving, dynamic, technologically enabled and dangerous,” Cohen said. “The good news (is that) state and local officials are better prepared than ever to address these threats.”

‘Suspicious substances’ also sent to congressional offices

The Senate Sergeant at Arms said the letters containing “suspicious substances” were sent to multiple congressional offices across the country, according to an email to Capitol Hill staff obtained by CNN.

“Law enforcement officials are working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered,” said the email from the Senate Sergeant at Arms office, but “it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations.”

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat who chairs the party’s senate campaign committee, said in a statement Thursday suspicious mail was sent to her New York City office and intercepted by USPIS.

The Postal Service also intercepted suspicious letters bound for the offices of Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a spokesperson for Raffensperger told CNN on Thursday.

A spokesperson for California Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, told CNN on Thursday, “We received the notification from the FBI that one of our offices was mailed a letter containing a suspicious substance, but it was intercepted by USPS.”

USPIS, FBI and Capitol Police are investigating the letters sent to Congressional offices, according to the email. It included a picture of one of the suspicious envelopes to help Capitol Hill staff identify any other such letters.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Aleena Fayaz, Morgan Rimmer, Gabe Cohen and Fredreka Schouten contributed to this report.

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