Suspicious substances mailed to dozens of election and congressional offices nationwide

By Sean Lyngaas, Aleena Fayaz, CNN

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

At least 36 lawmakers across the country this week have reported their offices receiving suspicious letters in the mail as of Friday, in several cases receiving a white powder substance that prompted evacuations and law enforcement response.

The US Postal Inspection Service, FBI and Capitol Police are investigating the letters sent to Congressional offices, according to a Thursday email from the Senate Sergeant at Arms sent to Capitol Hill staff and obtained by CNN.

Election offices in at least 10 states have also received suspicious letters containing a white powdery substance this week, prompting an investigation from the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service.

It’s unclear if there is a link between the letters sent to election offices and the congressional offices. There have been no reported injuries in any of the incidents, and in at least six instances, the substances in the letters were found to be non-hazardous.

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.”

‘Suspicious substances’ sent to three dozen congressional offices

At least 36 members of congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have said their offices received suspicious letters as of Friday night. At least seven letters were opened, prompting evacuations and tests, and multiple offices were evacuated as a precaution — many letters were intercepted before they were received and opened.

“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.”

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said on social media Friday his Houston office received a suspicious letter containing a white powder substance, adding, “This incident is deeply concerning. Attempts to intimidate your political opponents have no place in our country.”

A spokesperson for Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, told CNN on Friday two of their offices received suspicious letters this week, and both were intercepted.

“Thank you to the Portland police, the Portland fire department, the hazmat team, and the FBI their quick and courageous response. This was the fourth attack targeting Sen Collins’ office or home in the past two months,” said Collins’ chief of staff Katie Brown.

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.

The Senate Sergeant at Arms’ email included a picture of one of the suspicious envelopes to help Capitol Hill staff identify any other such letters.

Election offices targeted in at least 10 states

Election offices in at least 10 states across the country also received letters with suspicious substances this week.

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 quarantine for exposed employees and a law enforcement-hazmat response.

“The substance that was collected had gone through labs last night, initially just to check toxicity, that came back negative,” Fontes told CNN Friday on “The Lead.” “I don’t have any specific information as to what the substance actually is – but it is not harmful to human beings at this time.”

“The distraction of elections officials at this very, very busy time and the intimidation, potential intimidation of voters is harm — that is harm to our democracy, that is harm to our elections systems that we want to run smoothly without intimidation,” he added.

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, Mississippi, 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.

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.”

This story and headline have been updated with additional details.

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

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