Federal authorities are investigating a growing number of suspicious letters sent to US lawmakers and election offices, with more than three dozen members of Congress reportedly targeted by envelopes containing white powder ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The latest reported incident affected the district office of Virginia Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam in Leesburg. Staff evacuated the office on Monday after an envelope containing a suspicious substance arrived.
Subramanyam said the office was cleared quickly. He condemned the incident and said political intimidation had no place in the country. Preliminary tests showed that the powder was not hazardous, his office reported.
The FBI, US Capitol Police and US Postal Inspection Service are working to determine who sent the letters and whether the incidents are connected.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that more than 100 letters believed to contain white powder were circulating in the US mail system. Federal officials have not confirmed that figure or released a final count of the suspicious mail.
The investigation extends beyond Congress. Election offices in at least 15 states had reported receiving or being targeted by suspicious mail by Thursday evening, according to a report citing federal authorities.
In a statement, the FBI confirmed that it was investigating suspicious mailings sent to addresses across the country. The locations included congressional offices, state secretary of state offices and related election facilities.
Some of the envelopes contained an unknown substance, the agency said. Investigators are working with other law enforcement partners to assess each case and identify the person or people responsible.
Lawmakers from both parties have reported incidents. Letters addressed to Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Senator Alex Padilla were intercepted by authorities.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said his team had also been alerted to a suspicious letter. The warning came from the FBI, the Senate sergeant at arms and Capitol Police.
Republican senators have faced similar disruptions. South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds said his office in Sioux Falls was evacuated. Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts and Texas Senator Ted Cruz also reported suspicious mail.
In the House, at least 10 people were exposed after white powder was sent to the offices of New York Democratic Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Ritchie Torres and Tom Suozzi.
California Representative Jimmy Panetta said a staff member opened an envelope at his Santa Cruz office. Staff cleared the room and called 911 after the discovery.
Panetta said the attempts to intimidate public officials would not stop them from doing their work.
In Massachusetts, five staff members left Representative Seth Moulton’s office in Salem while police examined a suspicious envelope. Testing found no substances of concern, according to reports about the incident.
Investigators have found several common features among some of the letters. The FBI said recovered envelopes had passed through a mail processing center in north Texas. They also carried a postmark or stamp bearing the words “Thinking of You”.
Senate staff and House offices were warned to look out for plain white envelopes with these markings. Most of the suspicious letters were intercepted by postal inspectors and screening facilities before reaching their intended recipients.
Authorities have not confirmed whether every incident is linked to the same source. No suspect has been publicly identified, and officials have not provided a confirmed total for the letters.
The investigation comes at a sensitive point in the election calendar. With the midterms approaching, the incidents have forced public offices to take safety measures and respond to reports of potentially dangerous material.
Similar incidents occurred before the 2024 presidential election. Election officials in 17 states were targeted that year, according to previous reports. The latest cases have again raised concerns about threats to election workers and public officials.
Federal agencies are tracing the envelopes and examining the circumstances surrounding each report. Investigators are seeking to establish whether the letters form part of a coordinated effort and who may be behind them.
For now, congressional offices and election facilities remain alert to suspicious mail. The FBI and postal inspectors say they are working with partner agencies to respond to the cases and protect the public as the midterm elections draw closer.
