FBI Investigating Suspicious Letters Containing Unknown Substance Sent to State Election Officials
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious letters, some of which contained an unknown substance, sent to election officials across the country, the agencies confirmed Tuesday.
The Associated Press reported that packages containing the powder were sent to secretaries of state and state election offices in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming, citing officials in those states.
“The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in multiple states,” the agencies said in statements to CBS News. “Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely recover the letters.”
“We are also working with our partners to determine the number of letters sent, the person(s) responsible for the letters, and the reason for the letters,” the agencies said. “As this is an ongoing matter, we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can rest assured that safety is our top priority. We also want to remind everyone to exercise caution when handling mail, especially from unknown senders. If you see anything suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately.”
Authorities in at least three of the states — Oklahoma, Tennessee and Iowa — said they determined the substances were safe. A spokesman for the Tennessee secretary of state’s office said the substance “tested negative for hazardous materials.” The Oklahoma Board of Elections said the substance was found to be flour.
The suspicious letters come after federal law enforcement and cybersecurity officials warned state election administrators they risked serious consequences. threats during this election period. Election officials from key states told CBS News Recently, threats have intensified as November approaches.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, told CBS News: “We face security challenges every day. receive threatswhether through voicemail, email, social media or in person.
Benson said she was personally receiving threats, “and it was getting worse.”
“They’re all based on lies and misinformation, which is always disappointing and sad, but at the same time, it’s real,” she said.
Alexandria Johnson contributed reporting.
