FBI investigates suspicious letters sent to election offices and lawmakers nationwide
publishers 93articles 103first reported 15 Oct, 01:59 UTCdeveloping since 15 Oct · 11 editions
Federal authorities are investigating suspicious letters sent to election offices in at least 32 states and to lawmakers’ offices across the United States, less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service said some mailings contained unknown substances and that several were intercepted before delivery. WIRED reported that most letters targeting state election offices were stopped by the Postal Service, while envelopes reached offices in Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina, prompting evacuations after white powder was discovered. Substances tested so far were reported as nonhazardous, and an employee taken to a hospital after opening a letter in Louisiana was not injured.
Letters were also directed to members of Congress. Offices for Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla and Chris Murphy said the Postal Service intercepted suspicious mail addressed to them. The Hill reported that Republican Sens. Mike Rounds, Pete Ricketts and Ted Cruz, Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and more than 15 House members also reported suspicious packages at district or state offices.
The FBI and Postal Inspection Service are working to trace the mailings. Federal officials have not publicly identified a sender or disclosed how many offices were targeted overall. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors condemned threats against election workers, while Louisiana officials said election preparations were continuing.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 110 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 93
- Source articles
- 103
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 110 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Narrow the final claim about continuing election preparations to Louisiana, the office for which the source provides that information. - "affected offices said election preparations were continuing": The sources specifically say Louisiana's election operations were unaffected, but do not support this claim about multiple affected offices.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
FBI investigates suspicious letters sent to election offices and lawmakers nationwide
Federal authorities are investigating suspicious letters sent to election offices in at least 32 states and to lawmakers’ offices across the United States, less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service said some mailings contained unknown substances and that several were intercepted before delivery. WIRED reported that most letters targeting state election offices were stopped by the Postal Service, while envelopes reached offices in Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina, prompting evacuations after white powder was discovered. Substances tested so far were reported as nonhazardous, and an employee taken to a hospital after opening a letter in Louisiana was not injured.
Letters were also directed to members of Congress. Offices for Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla and Chris Murphy said the Postal Service intercepted suspicious mail addressed to them. The Hill reported that Republican Sens. Mike Rounds, Pete Ricketts and Ted Cruz, Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and more than 15 House members also reported suspicious packages at district or state offices.
The FBI and Postal Inspection Service are working to trace the mailings. Federal officials have not publicly identified a sender or disclosed how many offices were targeted overall. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors condemned threats against election workers, while affectedLouisiana officesofficials said election preparations were continuing.
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 →