At least 10 California congressional offices reported suspicious letters on Friday, closing some for the day and bringing hazmat teams to others as federal investigators examined similar mailings nationwide.
This story follows our earlier coverage of the mailings. CNN reported at least 36 lawmakers in both parties had received suspicious letters by Friday.
Rep. Kevin Kiley’s Rocklin district office got one of the envelopes. A staffer opened it, found a suspicious powder inside and put the envelope in a quarantine enclosure, his office said in a statement.
Rocklin police and a Roseville hazmat team responded around noon. The FBI also responded and will lead the investigation, the statement said. The office will remain closed until it is confirmed safe.
“No one should have to worry for their safety simply because they go to work for the American people.”
Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s Santa Cruz office opened its envelope on Friday morning. A staffer was working through constituent mail when she found white powder inside, Panetta said in a statement reported by KTVU.
She put the envelope in a garbage can, got her fellow staff members out of the office and called 911, the statement said. Medical officials initially cleared her and the other staff.
Santa Cruz County officials told KSBW the substance was determined to be harmless.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s San Jose office received a suspicious letter on Friday morning and called law enforcement right away, her office said. San Jose police sent a bomb squad and the fire department. Police later confirmed the substance in the envelope was not hazardous, KTVU reported. “All of my staffers are safe,” Lofgren’s office said.
Rep. Gil Cisneros posted a photo of a white envelope on social media. His office had contacted Covina police, the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police, he said. “Our staff is safe,” Cisneros said. The Covina district office closed out of caution and will reopen once cleared.
Rep. Laura Friedman’s office said the envelope it received held a suspicious substance. Staff evacuated under guidance from law enforcement, the Los Angeles-area office said.
Three more California Democrats — Reps. Linda Sánchez, Sydney Kamlager-Dove and Dave Min — also reported letters at their offices, according to NBC News and the Associated Press. In the Sacramento area, the offices of Reps. Ami Bera, Doris Matsui and Josh Harder received suspicious envelopes too, ABC10 reported.
The FBI said some of the letters contained an unknown substance. Investigators are working with law enforcement partners to identify who sent them, the bureau said. No one in the California cases was hurt. As of Friday night, investigators had not announced an arrest or named a sender.
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