This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Read the story at Maryland Matters.
In a troubling incident, nearly every member of Maryland’s congressional delegation, along with officials from the state’s elections office, received unsettling letters containing a nontoxic powder at their offices within the past week.
This situation places Maryland offices among a growing list of similar occurrences across the nation, occurring just a few weeks ahead of the upcoming elections on November 3. A wave of congressional representatives, election officials, and secretaries of state nationwide reported receiving similar letters, which initially targeted representatives in Louisiana and Oklahoma early last week.
The events are currently under a joint investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Jared DeMarinis, Maryland’s Elections Administrator, characterized the situation as “pure madness” during a Thursday interview. He noted that the letter addressed to his office was intercepted by law enforcement due to increased mail screening protocols, as officials had been alerted to watch for any letters resembling those sent out earlier in the week.
On Capitol Hill, both of Maryland’s senators and at least five of the state’s eight House representatives confirmed receipt of such letters.
The office of Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st) was the only one reported not to have received a letter, according to a spokesperson. An aide for Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) declined to provide a comment, while attempts to reach Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th) for her comments have gone unanswered.
Most members of the congressional delegation either confirmed receipt of a letter or publicly stated they had received one, with the majority arriving on the previous Friday.
Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-7th) received a letter at his office in Baltimore, as confirmed by his press team.
Following the incident, Mfume sent a letter to the leaders of the postal inspection service requesting a briefing for all congressional and elections officials. The briefing would include details on the number of letters identified, how many had been intercepted, and the communication protocols among postal services regarding these types of security threats.
“I take the recent mail threat against our office with the utmost seriousness. The safety of my staff, constituents and all who enter our doors remains my highest priority,” Mfume stated in a Thursday press release. “In this political climate, I will not be intimidated, silenced, or frightened from the call to serve.”
The letter addressed to Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-2nd) was discovered by his office staff, who immediately isolated it and informed law enforcement, reported his spokesperson.
“Political violence, intimidation, and threats are never acceptable. Public servants should be able to do their jobs and serve their communities without fear,” stated the release. “We are grateful to our team for their swift response, to the first responders ensuring our safety, and to the investigators working diligently to hold those responsible for these threats accountable.”
On Monday, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) also received a letter at his district office located in Greenbelt, shortly after the FBI and postal inspection agencies initiated their investigation. In a statement, Hoyer denounced the intimidation tactics aimed at staff and officials nationwide, branding them as “un-American” and emphasizing that such actions threaten the very fabric of democracy.
While the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service have refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the letters, they did announce on Thursday that investigators have not yet determined the sender’s identity, the motivations behind the letters, or the nature of the powdered substance aside from its nontoxic characteristics. Both agencies are collaborating closely with local law enforcement to address these incidents appropriately, the FBI added.
“The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to safeguard the public and ensure secure elections for all American citizens,” stated the release from Thursday.
DeMarinis commented that while the incident has not intimidated him or his staff, it has further motivated him to ensure a safe election process.
“It’s a cowardly act … the intention behind this move is to disenfranchise Marylanders,” DeMarinis remarked. “It represents the actions of an individual looking to undermine American democracy right at its core, starting with our elections.”
