The office of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received a suspicious letter on Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of threatening mailings directed at members of the U.S. Congress ahead of the midterm elections.
Over the past several days, more than three dozen congressional offices spanning both major parties have reported receiving envelopes containing white powder. Preliminary testing at one office indicated the substance was not hazardous.
According to a spokesperson for Pelosi, the letter matched similar mailings reported by other congressional offices, and all staff members remain safe.
“Speaker Pelosi remains dedicated to serving the people of San Francisco and is concerned for the members and staff affected by these incidents,” said Nicholas Martin, a spokesperson for the speaker emerita, in a statement.
“She appreciates the efforts of the U.S. Capitol Police, the San Francisco Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies investigating this pattern of intimidation nationwide,” the statement added.
Authorities believe more than 100 letters containing white powder may be circulating through the U.S. mail system. Election offices throughout the country have also reported receiving suspicious correspondence.
The FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the mailings. The FBI declined to confirm specific letters but stated earlier this week: “The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices and their related election offices, and congressional offices.”
