FBI probes powder-filled letters sent to election offices, Congress
What's new: Some letters were intercepted before delivery as officials warned mail could still reach targets less than three weeks before the midterms.
Federal investigators are examining a wave of suspicious letters sent to state election officials and congressional offices across the U.S., with some envelopes containing a white powder. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service said they are trying to intercept additional mailings after letters were reported in states including Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Wisconsin. In Louisiana, an employee who opened one letter was taken to an emergency room as a precaution, but officials found no harmful substance. Senate offices including those of Alex Padilla, Chuck Schumer and Chris Murphy also said suspicious letters were stopped before delivery. The incidents come as the Postal Service prepares for millions of mailed ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.