Over 20 U.S. Lawmakers Targeted by Suspicious Mail Containing White Powder

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Ahead of the November midterm elections, local offices of U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives have been rattled by a series of mail deliveries containing suspicious substances, including white powder.

U.S. political media outlet The Hill reported on the 16th (local time) that the local offices of at least 20 bipartisan lawmakers have either received unidentified suspicious mail or had it intercepted beforehand by law enforcement authorities.

The five senators confirmed by the outlet to have received such mail include Republicans Mike Rounds, Pete Ricketts, and Ted Cruz, as well as Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.

Among members of the House, more than 15 lawmakers reportedly stated that such mail had arrived at their district offices.

Previously, The Washington Post (WP) reported that it was confirmed suspicious mail had been sent to the offices of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat) and fellow Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Alex Padilla.

Representatives for California House Representative Jimmy Panetta stated that a staff member at his Santa Cruz district office discovered a mysterious white powder while opening an envelope.

The staff member immediately placed the envelope in a trash can, evacuated other employees, and called 911.

According to initial medical examinations, no significant health abnormalities were found in the staff member.

Senator Rounds, whose office in South Dakota received the mail, criticized the incident via social media, stating, "It is deeply concerning that deceptive intimidation tactics continue to threaten our staff," and adding, "Such actions can never be tolerated in our society."

House Representative Pramila Jayapal (Democrat) also denounced the incident as a "deliberate and widespread attack targeting democracy and the electoral system."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Capitol Police have launched a full-scale investigation into the related incidents.

An FBI spokesperson stated that the agency has received reports regarding the suspicious mail and is conducting a thorough review while cooperating with other law enforcement agencies to identify suspects.

In the United States, attempts at mail terror targeting politics repeatedly occur every election season, such as envelopes containing white powder being delivered to election commission offices in multiple states ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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