Wed Sep 18 01:47:29 UTC 2024: ## Election Officials Targeted in Suspicious Mailings Across US
**Washington D.C.** – The FBI and the US Postal Department are investigating suspicious packages sent to election officials in 17 states, raising concerns about rising threats against election officials ahead of the November presidential election.
The packages, received by secretaries of state and state election officials, contained “an unknown substance” according to federal investigators, who are collecting the packages. While there have been no reported injuries, the incident has sparked worry.
The letters, sent from New York to Alaska, have prompted an investigation into their origin and motive. The FBI and USPS are working to determine the total number of letters sent and the identity of the sender.
“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters,” the agencies said in a statement.
The Associated Press reported that packages were sent to election officials in Alaska, Georgia, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Iowa, Mississippi, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold revealed on X, formerly Twitter, that the sender identified themselves as the “US Traitor Elimination Army.”
However, officials in at least four states confirmed that the substances found in the packages posed no threat. Oklahoma’s Board of Elections reported the substance to be flour.
The incident echoes a similar situation in November 2023, when election offices in Georgia, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington received envelopes containing fentanyl or other substances.
This latest incident comes amid reports of escalating threats against election officials across the country, including threats via voicemails, emails, social media, and in person. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said her office receives threats daily.
These incidents highlight the growing concern over political violence and the potential for interference in the upcoming election. The FBI and USPS are working to ensure the safety of election officials and the integrity of the electoral process.
First Piper 