Multiple Elections Offices Receive Suspicious Letters, Some Contained Antifa and 'Pride' Symbols
Elections offices in at least five states have been sent envelopes containing white powder along with what one police official called a “vague” message about stopping elections.
Offices in California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon and Washington received the letters, four of which contained trace amounts of fentanyl, according to The Washington Post.
The letters were received Wednesday and Thursday.
Linda Farmer, auditor in Pierce County, Washington, showed images of the envelope and letter sent to her office in Tacoma. The letter warned that “ballot drops,” used in some states to collect absentee ballots, were vulnerable.
“End elections now. Stop giving power to the right that they don’t have. We are in charge now and there is no more need for them,” the letter said.
It included images of an antifa symbol, an LGBT “pride” flag and a pentagram, often associated with Satanism.
The letter was postmarked in Portland, Oregon.
Tacoma police spokesman William Muse said the substance inside was baking soda, according to the Seattle Times.
The letter said “something to the effect of stopping the election,” Muse said.
“There was no candidate that was identified. There was no religious-affiliated group identified. There was no political issue identified. It was just that vague statement,” he said.
JUST IN: @komonews obtained these pictures, showing the threatening letter that forced the evacuation of the Pierce County Elections Office. A white powder was found with the letter. Nobody was hurt. The letter ordered officials to “end elections now.” As you see, it was… pic.twitter.com/WNNG93IUaR
— Ryan Simms (@RyanTVnews) November 9, 2023
“Law enforcement is working diligently to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered,” the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service said in a joint statement Thursday.
According to CBS News, King and Okanogan counties in Washington received envelopes containing suspicious substances during the state’s primaries in August. The King County letter had traces of fentanyl, while the Okanogan County letter had nothing harmful enclosed.
Fire crews and hazmat are on scene at King county elections (919 SW Grady Way) for reports of an unknown substance. Hazmats crews are currently in the building. PIO will be on site. Will update as more information becomes available. pic.twitter.com/72NFLYsVZf
— Renton Regional Fire Authority (@RentonRFA) November 8, 2023
In California, Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced the U.S. Postal Service had intercepted suspicious envelopes addressed to election facilities in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
“Federal and state authorities are investigating the incident, but there has been no confirmation that these envelopes contained any toxic substances,” Weber said in a statement. “Nevertheless, we are advising local election offices to take precautions before handling mail that arrives at their facilities.”
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said an elections office in Fulton County was targeted, leading the state to send it naxalone to reverse any overdose caused by contact with fentanyl, according to the Post.
“This is domestic terrorism, and it needs to be condemned by anyone that holds elected office and anyone that wants to hold elective office anywhere in America,” Raffensperger said.
Devon Ashbridge, a representative of the Lane County Elections Office in Eugene, Oregon, said no one who touched the letter it received had any health impacts.
“Someone attempted to terrorize our elections staff, and that’s not OK,” Ashbridge said.
ABC News reported Friday that the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI were investigating a letter sent to the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. It was not known if there was a connection between the letter to Paxton and the ones sent to elections offices.
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