Suspicious mail sent to offices of various lawmakers across the tri-state
The investigation by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Capitol Police was first disclosed in a message from the Senate Sergeant at Arms obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.
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Suspicious mail has been sent to several tri-state area lawmakers, according to the FBI.
Mail that contained a suspicious substance was sent to Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy's office in Hartford Thursday, Josh Sorbe, a spokesperson for the senator, confirmed. Sorbe says the letter was intercepted en route.
Murphy's office was informed of the letter by the FBI and Capitol Police. They are working closely with those agencies, along with federal law enforcement.
Murphy has been traveling around the country for the past few days and is currently not in Connecticut.
"Our office is grateful for the investigators involved in this incident, and we intend to continue close coordination as the investigation continues," says Sorbe.
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal's office in Hartford also received one of the suspicious letters, according to a spokesperson.
They say that a vigilant staff member identified the suspicious letter while screening the mail. The staff member took immediate steps to isolate it from the mail and called Hartford police.
The Hartford Fire Department says they responded to Blumenthal's office and learned that the letter was still in the mailbox in the loading dock area. The area was evacuated as a precaution.
No illnesses or injuries have been reported. Fire officials say there have also been no reported exposures involving civilians, police or fire personnel.
New York Sen. Kristen Gillibrand says a suspicious piece of mail was also addressed to her New York City office Thursday.
Gillibrand says postal inspectors intercepted the mail.
In a statement, Gillibrand says she is grateful to the inspectors for protecting her staff.
A spokesperson for New York Sen. Chuck Schumer tells News 12 that an envelope was addressed to the senator in connection with the suspicious letters sent to numerous lawmakers' offices, which was intercepted by authorities.
Federal authorities are investigating letters with “suspicious substances” that have been mailed to congressional and election offices nationwide and are urging recipients to treat the mailings as “potentially hazardous.”
The investigation by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Capitol Police was first disclosed in a message from the Senate Sergeant at Arms obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The notice, sent to Senate offices, said that law enforcement officials were working to intercept any additional letters, but “it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations.”
In Congress, the threat appeared limited to the Senate, though the House was monitoring the situation, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
News 12 reached out to the U.S. Postal Service and FBI and is waiting to hear back.
AP Wire Services contributed to this report.
