Follow-Up: Suspicious Powder Letters Reported by More Than 36 Lawmakers; Southern California Offices Among the Latest Targets
As of Friday, October 16, at least 36 members of Congress across the United States had reported receiving suspicious letters, many containing a white powder that prompted office evacuations and law-enforcement responses, according to CNN. Election offices in at least ten states also received similar letters this week. The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Capitol Police are investigating jointly. No injuries have been reported in the series of incidents, and in at least six instances the substances were found to be non-hazardous.
California saw a cluster of new cases on Friday. Rep. Linda Sánchez said in a statement that her district office in Whittier received a suspicious package on Friday matching the description of packages received by other congressional offices around the country. Her office immediately notified the Capitol Police, the FBI and local authorities, who were working to remove the package; she said she and her staff were safe and there did not appear to be any broader threat to the community. Rep. Gil Cisneros said he closed his Covina district office out of an abundance of caution after receiving a suspicious letter, that his staffers were safe, and that the incident was reported to local and federal law enforcement. Rep. Laura Friedman said an envelope received by her Glendale office contained a suspicious substance.
Rep. Jimmy Panetta said a staffer at his Santa Cruz district office opened an envelope containing a white powdery substance on Friday morning while handling constituent mail; the staffer immediately discarded the envelope, cleared the office and called 911, and was initially cleared by medical officials. Panetta said the envelope had been sent from New York and appeared similar to others under federal investigation. Earlier this week, Sen. Alex Padilla said the Postal Service had intercepted a suspicious package before it reached his office.
New cases also emerged in other states on Friday. Sen. Ted Cruz said his Houston office received a suspicious piece of mail containing a white powder, and that the FBI, Houston police and fire departments, and the Capitol Police responded. A similar letter sent to Sen. Susan Collins's Portland, Maine, office prompted an evacuation, while another letter addressed to her Washington office was intercepted by the Capitol Police; her chief of staff, Katie Brown, said in a statement that it was the fourth attack targeting Collins's office or home in the past two months. Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut said a staff member at his Enfield office opened an envelope on Friday containing an unknown white substance and a malicious letter; Courtney said the staff member was not injured and that the office had notified the Capitol Police, thanking Enfield police, the Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad and the FBI for their response.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the FBI said a series of suspicious mailings had been sent to various addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices and their related election offices, that some letters contained an unknown substance, and that the bureau was working with law-enforcement partners to respond to each incident and identify those responsible. The Senate Sergeant at Arms has warned offices that some letters could still be in the mail stream. GSM previously reported the FBI investigation into the letters sent to Congress and election offices in multiple states. As of Friday, authorities had not publicly identified a sender or announced any arrests. (GSM, based on CNN reporting and statements from multiple congressional offices)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：危险物品处置人员身着全套防护服与防毒面具，在白色粉末威胁响应现场互相检查装备（资料图）。2022年10月摄于怀俄明州夏延，美国空军国民警卫队第84民防支援队响应一宗白色粉末威胁时拍摄。美国空军国民警卫队官方照片，Jacqueline Marshall 摄，公有领域，来源：DVIDS / Photo: Responders in full hazmat suits and gas masks during a white-powder threat response (file photo). Taken in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in October 2022, when the Wyoming Air National Guard 84th Civil Support Team responded to a potential white powder threat at the air base. U.S. Air National Guard photo by Jacqueline Marshall, public domain, via DVIDS.
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