White-powder letters hit dozens of Congress members and state election offices as FBI probe expands three weeks before midterms

White-powder letters hit dozens of Congress members and state election offices as FBI probe expands three weeks before midterms

The letters keep coming. Three weeks before Election Day, a federal investigation into suspicious mailings sent to congressional offices and state election facilities has grown into one of the most sweeping pre-election security operations since the 2001 anthrax attacks, with the House's top security official warning Monday that lawmakers should expect more envelopes in the days ahead.

Roll Call first reported Monday afternoon that House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland sent a memo to members and staff warning that additional offices "may receive similar letters in the coming days." So far, "none of the letters received by Congressional offices have been determined to contain hazardous substances," according to the memo. But the lack of a confirmed toxin has done little to calm nerves on Capitol Hill or in secretary of state offices scattered across the country.

At least 36 lawmakers have reported their offices receiving suspicious letters as of Friday, in several cases receiving a white powder substance that prompted evacuations and law enforcement response. Election offices in at least 15 states have reported receiving or being the intended recipient of suspicious mail.

The breadth of the campaign is striking. Early in the week the targets were almost entirely Democratic Senate offices, but by Friday the net had widened to both parties. Recipients include Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Susan Collins of Maine, both Republicans. Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska also reported receiving suspicious letters on Friday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's office was one of those targeted, CBS News has learned.

District offices were hit too, in some cases before staff could be warned. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said that staff members in her Milwaukee district office had opened mail with a suspicious substance "using proper protocols and precautions," but "as a result of this incident, mail will no longer be sorted at the office." Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., said that her staff opened mail at her Grand Rapids office containing an "unidentified white powder." On Monday morning, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said his district office in Leesburg was evacuated after receiving a suspicious envelope. "These acts of political intimidation have no place in our country," he said.

What the letters say

Some of the envelopes contain white powder and notes with threatening words. At least one of the notes warned of "civil war" after next month's midterm elections. A notice sent to Senate staff and obtained by multiple outlets described tell-tale signs: discoloration, powder emanating from the envelope, and postmarks that do not match the return address. Another letter had a return address that read "DSA," from a suite in a New York City office building in the financial district of Manhattan.

Investigators have not publicly identified who sent the letters or who composed the notes. The FBI is broadly investigating the incidents as a multi-jurisdictional case, but no suspects or coordinating entity has been publicly identified.

Three agencies, one probe

The U.S. 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. The FBI confirmed the scope in a statement: the bureau and its partners are investigating "a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices."

Brendan Donahue, the deputy chief inspector at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, told reporters that some letters contained an unknown substance and that they were sent to "various addresses nationwide," including "secretary of state offices and the related election offices." "We are committed to protecting our nation's election officials from threatening and dangerous mail. Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable," Donahue said, adding that the postal service and the FBI "will bring all of our resources to bear on these investigations."

Preliminary lab results have come back clean. Preliminary field testing continued through the night on the unknown substance and so far all the powder tested has been determined to not be hazardous, though further testing will take place at law enforcement laboratories. That distinction matters legally: former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack told NBC News that even if the letters are not hazardous or turn out to be a hoax, there is still a possible crime and the investigation will continue.

Security context

The campaign mirrors threats that preceded previous elections. The investigation recalls 2024 incidents in which more than 15 state election offices received suspicious mailings. 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 timing is pointed. With 16 days until the November 3 midterms, John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, told CNN that the incidents show "in the current threat environment, election and law enforcement officials must be prepared to address a broad range of cyber and physical threats."

By Friday afternoon, authorities reported that at least 22 congressional offices and 26 state election officials had received the letters. Those numbers have since risen. At least a few dozen House Democrats have already spoken out about receiving suspicious mailings, according to a review of social media posts and statements from lawmakers.

Rep. Brad Schneider, whose Illinois office was among those hit, called on the FBI to move fast. "It is imperative that they follow all leads to apprehend and prosecute those responsible," Schneider said, adding: "Anyone or any group who thinks they can scare or intimidate Members of Congress or our teams from doing our job and work on behalf of... the people we represent is sorely mistaken."

What to Watch

• The FBI has not named suspects or publicly identified the substance in every case. Lab results from federal forensic facilities are expected in the coming days and could determine whether charges are filed under federal statutes covering threatening communications or biological-weapon hoaxes.
• House Sergeant at Arms McFarland's memo warned that more offices will likely be hit before November 3. Watch for whether the Senate Sergeant at Arms issues a parallel directive tightening mail-handling protocols across all Senate district offices, not just those on Capitol Hill.
• Several secretaries of state whose offices received letters oversee contested Senate or House races. Any disruption to election administration operations in those states could feed into legal or political disputes over ballot-counting procedures in tight races.
• Rep. Subramanyam's Leesburg office was evacuated Monday morning, October 19, the most recent confirmed incident. His Virginia district is competitive in the midterms, and his office said local and federal law enforcement both responded.

Sources: Roll Call | NBC News | CBS News | CNN | ABC News | NPR | GV Wire / New York Times | The Well News