A wave of suspicious mailings containing unknown substances has struck congressional offices across the United States, alarming lawmakers from both parties.
Senators and House members from Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Connecticut, California, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, and Maine have all reported receiving the packages.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said officials intercepted a letter before it reached her Minnesota office, keeping staff out of immediate danger.
“Thanks to the postal workers and investigators who identified and intercepted it, no one in our office was in immediate danger,” Klobuchar wrote on social media Friday.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) shared an image of a letter sent to his Sioux Falls office, confirming that local authorities investigated and evacuated the building following the discovery.
“This situation is deeply concerning and follows a trend of intimidating tactics that impact our team members,” Rounds wrote, adding, “This has no place in our nation.”
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) reported that a staff member at his Santa Cruz office opened an envelope containing a “suspicious white powder,” though staff members were reported safe.
California Reps. Laura Friedman, Gil Cisneros, and Linda Sánchez also confirmed their district offices received suspicious packages, with all offices reporting no injuries to staff.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) confirmed that two letters were sent to her offices, one targeting her Portland location and another addressed to her Washington, D.C. office, both of which were intercepted before arrival.
Federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, are now jointly investigating what appears to be a coordinated nationwide mailing campaign.
According to a notice sent to Senate staff, the agencies are investigating “multiple letters containing suspicious substances that were mailed to various addresses nationwide, including multiple Congressional offices.”
An FBI statement confirmed the bureau is “investigating a series of suspicious mailings 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 spokesperson said.
Federal officials also stated they are “working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters,” suggesting investigators believe the incidents are connected.
Earlier this week, state election offices in Ohio, Louisiana, and Oklahoma first received suspicious packages, with NBC News reporting the initial wave of mailings on Wednesday.
Maryland, Mississippi, and South Dakota election offices also reported being targeted by separate mailings on Thursday, though the Postal Service intercepted those letters before delivery.
