FBI investigates suspicious letters sent to lawmakers and election offices across US
publishers 85articles 95first reported 15 Oct, 01:59 UTCdeveloping since 15 Oct · 11 editionstop 25 #7
Federal authorities are investigating suspicious letters containing unknown or powdery substances sent to congressional offices and state election agencies across the United States, weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service said some mailings were intercepted before delivery. Letters were reported or intercepted in multiple states, including Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Louisiana’s election office was evacuated after a package was opened, but authorities found no evidence of harmful substances. Wisconsin officials also said a powder sent to the state elections commission was deemed nonhazardous.
At least five Democratic senators were targeted, including Alex Padilla of California, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer of New York, and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, according to the BBC and CBS News. The Hill reported Friday that additional packages were received by offices connected to Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Mike Rounds, Pete Ricketts, Tina Smith and Ted Cruz, as well as more than 15 House members.
Authorities have not disclosed the total number of affected offices or identified who sent the letters. An alert to Senate staff said suspicious envelopes could bear postmarks inconsistent with their return addresses.
The FBI and postal inspectors said they were working to trace the mailings and protect election officials and the public. Several affected offices followed hazardous-mail procedures, including evacuations and law-enforcement screening.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 60 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 85
- Source articles
- 95
- Given to the writer
- 8, 2 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 60 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →