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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and two other Senate Democrats were the intended recipients of mail that federal investigators say contained “suspicious substances,” Fox News Digital has learned.
A source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital that Schumer’s office was the intended target, among other congressional offices, of a mysterious envelope containing an unknown substance.
He wasn’t the only Senate Democrat targeted.
Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., were both informed by the FBI that their respective offices were sent a suspicious letter on Thursday, following warnings in both chambers of Congress that federal investigators were “investigating multiple letters containing suspicious substances that were mailed to various addresses nationwide, including multiple Congressional offices.”
Josh Sorbe, a spokesperson for Murphy, told Fox News Digital that the senator’s office “was sent a letter with a suspicious substance.”
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A U.S. Capitol Police officer at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File)
“Our office was promptly informed of the letter by FBI, SAA, and Capitol Police, and we continue to work closely with them and federal law enforcement,” Sorbe said. “Due to those efforts and various safety protocols, the Senator and staff were not in immediate danger. Our office is grateful for the investigators involved in this incident, and we intend to continue close coordination as the investigation continues.”
A spokesperson for Padilla told Fox News Digital, “We received the notification from the FBI that one of our offices was mailed a letter containing a suspicious substance, but it was intercepted by USPS.”
The two incidents follow warnings sent out to top-ranking staff on the Hill earlier Thursday by both the Senate and House sergeants at arms that the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Capitol Police were actively investigating the matter, per notices obtained by Fox News Digital.
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“Law enforcement officials are working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered, however, it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations,” the notice from the Senate Sergeant at Arms read.
The exact nature of the suspicious substances, and just how many congressional offices are intended recipients, remains unclear.
Top staff in the House were warned by the House Sergeant at Arms that the office had “been made aware of reports of letters containing suspicious white powder substances received by public officials throughout the United States.”
“Although no House Members have been identified as intended recipients at this time, the SAA continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with law enforcement partners,” the notice read. “All offices are reminded to remain vigilant and follow safe mail handling procedures to help protect staff from potentially harmful materials.”
An FBI spokesperson declined to confirm specific instances or letters, but said in a statement that, “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.”
“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” the spokesperson said. “We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters. This FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to safeguard the public and secure elections for American citizens.”
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Signs from the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America. (Brooke Curto/Fox News Digital)
Included in the Senate Sergeant at Arms’ notice was an image of one of the envelopes that included a return address in the top-left corner for the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) headquarters in New York City.
It is unclear whether the DSA had any involvement in sending the letters. Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA for comment but has not heard back.
A representative for the organization told the New York Post that the DSA “has not occupied this office address since 2013.”
“We are also no longer headquartered at 75 Maiden Lane,” the rep said.
The notice warned that “all suspicious letters, packages, or substances should be treated as potentially hazardous.”
Suspicious letters were also sent to state elections offices around the country. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said in a joint statement that, “Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.”
“Election officials take these matters seriously and work closely with law enforcement and security partners to protect their personnel and facilities,” the organizations said. “We have security measures and contingency plans in place to respond to potential threats and emergencies while maintaining essential election operations.”
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It comes on the 25-year anniversary after an anthrax-laced letter was opened by a staffer in then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle’s office on Oct. 15, 2001.
Since then, Congress has drastically overhauled how it accepts mail. Packages and mail no longer come directly to the Hill, and instead are processed in facilities where they are screened and irradiated before making their way to a congressional office.