Federal authorities are actively investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to state election officials and congressional offices across multiple states.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed the probe, with some of the mailings reported to contain a powdery white substance of unknown composition.
States including Louisiana, Ohio, and Oklahoma have been identified among those whose election offices received the suspicious correspondence.
A spokesperson for the Louisiana Secretary of State, Trey Williams, confirmed that an employee who opened a letter on Tuesday was taken to the emergency room as a precaution, though law enforcement found no evidence of harmful substances.
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., confirmed his office was among those targeted, noting that the U.S. Postal Service intercepted a suspicious package before it reached his staff.
“Thankfully, no threat was posed to my staff or our office,” Padilla said in a statement to NPR.
Padilla added that “this incident is a stark reminder of the very real dangers facing those who serve the public and who help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric — especially from Donald Trump.”
Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed that authorities were able to stop delivery of at least one of the mailings before it reached its destination.
“Some of the letters have contained an unknown substance, and we’re working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” Donahue said.
A communication from the Senate’s Sergeant at Arms to congressional staff warned that suspicious letters could be identified by discoloration, powder emanating from envelopes, and postmarks that do not match the return address.
An image included in that communication showed a return address labeled “DSA” with a New York City return address listed on the envelope.
Staff were instructed that all suspicious letters, packages, or substances “should be treated as potentially hazardous and handled in accordance with established safety protocols.”
The FBI stated it is “working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters,” as the investigation spans multiple jurisdictions nationwide.
The incidents echo similar events in 2024, when more than 15 state election offices across the country received suspicious mailings in a comparable pattern.
With less than three weeks remaining until the November 3 midterm elections, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors issued a joint statement asserting that “those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.”
