The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious letters, some of which contained an unknown subject, sent to election officials across the country, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
Associated Press reported powder-containing packages were sent to secretary of state and state election offices in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming, citing officials in those states.
“The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states,” the agencies said in statements to CBS News. “Some of the letters contained an unknown subject and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters.”
“We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the person(s) responsible for the letters and the motive behind the letters,” the agencies said. “As this is an ongoing matter, we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can be assured that safety is our top priority. We also want to remind everyone to be careful when handling mail, especially from unknown senders. If you see anything suspicious, contact the police immediately.”
The suspicious letters come after federal law enforcement and cybersecurity officials warned state election administrators that they face serious threat this election season. Election officials from battleground states told CBS News recently that threats are escalating ahead of November.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, told CBS News, “We are daily receives threatswhether it’s through voicemails, emails, social media or in person.”
Benson said she personally receives threats, “and it escalates.”
“They’re all rooted in lies and misinformation, which is always disappointing and sad, but at the same time it’s real,” she said.