Feds Probe Suspicious White Powder Envelopes Sent To Election Offices

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

Letters containing suspicious powder were mailed to multiple locations across the United States, including election offices, federal officials said.

Suspicious substances have been found in mail sent to media organizations, public and private polling companies, secretaries of state and related election offices, and various election-related entities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in an alert on Friday.

The agency said it was investigating the incidents together with the United States Postal Inspection Service.

To date, no hazardous material has been identified, the FBI said, adding that law enforcement officials were working to intercept any further letters.

Staff in election offices in Oklahoma and Louisiana recently discovered suspicious powder in envelopes, triggering an evacuation of offices, the office of Connecticut Secretary of the State said last week.

The FBI later informed the Connecticut office that it was the target of one of the letters, which had been intercepted by federal authorities.

The FBI told The Epoch Times in mid-October that “a series of suspicious mailings” had been sent to various addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices and related election offices.

The mailings were allegedly sent as state election offices were busy preparing for mid-term elections and mailing out ballots.

A staff member at the Arizona Department of State opened an envelope with white powder, leading to the evacuation of the office, Adrian Fontes, Arizona secretary of state, said in mid-October. The material and the individuals exposed to the substance were isolated.

“This is a sobering moment that highlights the reality of election administration in this country today,” he said at the time.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose confirmed in mid-October that his office had been an intended recipient of one of the mailings, but the letter was intercepted by federal investigators.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office was also an intended target of the mailings, according to his spokeswoman Liz Jonson.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission said it received an envelope with white powder, according to a statement, adding that tests concluded that it was not hazardous.

Individuals tasked with handling mail at election-related or similar locations must have personal protective equipment to help protect them from exposure to potential hazards, according to the FBI alert. Such equipment includes masks, aprons, and nitrile gloves.

Offices that handle mail must also establish procedures to respond to potentially hazardous materials exposure, with all staff members trained on these processes, the FBI said.

People who come into contact with an unknown substance through the mail should avoid taking any action that can result in the powder becoming airborne, the agency advised. In addition, people must leave the room, isolate the area, and call for emergency medical services and law enforcement.

In addition to the risks posed by mailed powder substances, individuals linked to elections can also be threatened, the FBI said in an October alert, adding that it takes all threats of violence targeting election workers seriously.

Jill McLaughlin contributed to this report.