More than three dozen members of the US Congress have had their offices targeted by letters containing white powder, prompting evacuations and a federal investigation weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.
The latest incident involved Virginia Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam. His district office in Leesburg was evacuated on Monday after staff received an envelope containing a suspicious substance.
Subramanyam said the office was cleared quickly. He also condemned the incident, saying political intimidation had no place in the United States. Preliminary tests showed that the powder was not hazardous, his office said.
Federal agencies are now working to identify 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 may be moving through the US postal system.
The FBI, US Capitol Police and US Postal Inspection Service are involved in the investigation. A notice sent to Senate staff on Thursday warned officials about the suspicious mail.
Election offices in at least 15 states had also reported receiving or being targeted by suspicious mail by Thursday evening, according to a report citing federal authorities. Officials have not confirmed the total number of incidents, and no suspect has been publicly identified.
The FBI said it was investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to addresses across the country. These included congressional offices, state secretary of state offices and other election-related locations.
Some envelopes contained an unknown substance, the agency said. Investigators are working with other law enforcement bodies to respond to each report and identify those responsible.
The letters have affected lawmakers from both major political parties. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Senator Alex Padilla were among those whose mail was intercepted by authorities.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy also said his team had been alerted to a letter by the FBI, the Senate sergeant at arms and Capitol Police.
Republican senators have reported similar incidents. Mike Rounds said his office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was evacuated. Senators Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Ted Cruz of Texas also reported suspicious letters.
Several House offices have been affected as well. 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.
In California, Representative Jimmy Panetta said a staff member opened an envelope at his Santa Cruz office. Staff then cleared the room and called 911.
Panetta said the effort to intimidate public officials would not stop them from carrying out their work.
In Massachusetts, five staff members left Representative Seth Moulton’s office in Salem while police examined a suspicious letter. Tests found no substances of concern, according to reports about the incident.
Investigators have identified several features that may link the letters. The FBI said recovered envelopes had passed through a mail processing center in north Texas. They also carried a postmark or stamp reading “Thinking of You”.
Senate staff and House offices were warned to look out for plain white envelopes bearing these markings. Most of the suspicious mail had been intercepted by postal inspectors and screening facilities before reaching its intended destination.
Authorities have not said whether every reported letter is part of the same campaign. The investigation is continuing, and officials have not named a suspect or confirmed a final count.
The incidents have raised concerns because they come shortly before a major national election. Congressional offices and election officials are key parts of the process, and suspicious mail can disrupt their work even when tests find no dangerous substance.
Similar incidents occurred before the 2024 presidential election. Election officials in 17 states were targeted that year, according to previous reports. No suspect has been named in the current case.
Federal agencies continue to examine the letters and trace their path through the postal system. Their work will focus on finding those responsible, determining whether the incidents are linked and protecting public officials and election offices as the midterms approach.
