WASHINGTON — At least 36 members of Congress from both parties were sent suspicious letters by Friday night, CNN reported, as federal investigators examined similar mailings to election offices across the country.
At least seven letters addressed to lawmakers were opened, prompting evacuations and testing, according to CNN, whose report was carried by KESQ. Many others were intercepted. No one had been reported injured. In at least six incidents, the substances that were examined turned out to be non-hazardous.
The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Capitol Police are all investigating. Preliminary information suggested more than 100 letters apparently containing white powder were moving through the mail system, law enforcement sources told ABC News. That was a preliminary estimate, not an official final count.
Rep. Eugene Vindman of Virginia said his district office was evacuated Friday after a suspicious package resembling those reported elsewhere arrived there. Prince William County police and firefighters responded alongside federal officers.
His staff was safe, Vindman said, and his office was cooperating with investigators.
“Political violence and threats of intimidation have no place in our democracy, and those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.
Republican senators disclosed mailings of their own on Friday. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X that white powder arrived at his Houston office, bringing a response from the FBI, local emergency services and the Capitol Police. Her Portland and Washington offices were also sent suspicious letters, Sen. Susan Collins’ office said, according to the New York Post.
A letter containing a powdery substance reached Sen. Pete Ricketts’ Omaha office. Omaha police tested the substance and found it was not hazardous, KLKN reported, citing police and the senator’s communications director.
That was a change from Thursday, when House officials said no representatives were known to have been targeted.
By Friday, district offices belonging to Democratic Reps. Mike Quigley, Brad Schneider and Robin Kelly in Illinois had reported suspicious mail, ABC7 Chicago reported.
In California, Rep. Kevin Kiley’s Rocklin office closed after a staff member opened an envelope containing suspicious powder. His office said the material was placed in a quarantine enclosure and local police, hazardous materials responders and the FBI arrived. The office would remain closed until authorities determined it was safe, according to a statement published by Sierra Wave.
State election offices were also dealing with disruptions less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 election.
In Arizona, staff opened an envelope containing white powder Thursday, prompting evacuations and quarantine procedures. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told CNN on Friday that initial laboratory testing for toxicity was negative, though he did not know what the substance was.
After an employee opened an envelope containing white powder on Thursday, the Delaware Department of Elections temporarily moved its state election commissioner’s staff. The building’s ventilation system was shut down, and workers were decontaminated and evacuated.
On Friday, normal operations resumed from the department’s Kent County office. Absentee ballot processing and voting equipment tests continued, and early voting remained scheduled to begin Oct. 22. The original building stayed closed while postal inspectors tested the envelope and its contents.
Minnesota’s Department of Administration intercepted a threatening letter containing unidentified white powder before it reached the secretary of state’s office Friday. Postal inspectors took possession of it for testing, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said.
In Michigan, Rep. Hillary Scholten said a powder-containing letter sent to her Grand Rapids office claimed to come from the Democratic Socialists of America and referred to a “civil war” after the election, Michigan Advance reported.
DSA denied sending the letters. A spokesperson told news organizations that the return address belonged to an office the group had not occupied since 2013, according to a Detroit Free Press report. Authorities have not identified the organization as responsible.
Investigators were still working to identify the sender or senders. Whether the congressional and election-office mailings were connected remained unclear.
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