FBI investigates suspicious letters to officials ahead of US elections — Daily Maverick
In the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious letters sent to state election officials and lawmakers’ offices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The FBI said that some of the mailings contained an unknown substance, Daily Maverick reports.
Letters intercepted before delivery
The US Postal Service intercepted letters containing a suspicious substance addressed to the offices of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, California Democrat Alex Padilla, and Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy.
The US House of Representatives Sergeant at Arms, who is the chamber’s chief law enforcement officer, told staff that some officials had received letters containing suspicious white powdery substances. Postal Inspection Service Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue confirmed that some of the mailings had been intercepted and said the investigation was ongoing.
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The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said that the series of letters had been sent to state election offices. Mailings intended, in particular, for Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Idaho were intercepted before delivery.
Incident in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported receiving a suspicious letter containing an unidentified powdery substance that was determined not to pose a danger. An email to Senate staff also indicated that postmarks on such mailings may not match the return address.
The incidents occurred less than three weeks before the elections, as the US Postal Service prepares to process millions of mail-in ballots. US Postmaster General David Steiner said the service was ready for this. USPS said it would implement additional measures for the 2026 elections, including extending the operating hours of certain offices, speeding up ballot processing, making additional deliveries, and conducting special ballot collections.
