Several members of Congress from the Chicago area were among elected officials nationwide who received letters containing “suspicious substances” sent to congressional and election offices.
A 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.”
A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, of Illinois’ 5th Congressional District, said the congressman’s district office in Chicago received a suspicious package similar to those sent to others around the nation.
“We immediately notified the Chicago Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police, and my office evacuated as a precaution,” the spokesperson said, in part. “My staff and I are safe and are working with federal, state, and local law enforcement to support an investigation.”
The office of Rep. Brad Schneider, who represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, reported receiving at least one letter with a suspicious substance at its Lincolnshire district office.
Schneider’s office said that, under protocol, it opens mail under a “mail hood.”
“Upon reviewing the threatening letter, we contacted the U.S. Capitol Police followed by the Lincolnshire Police Department,” the office said, in part. “Lincolnshire Police and Fire, including a hazmat team, came to the office with specialized equipment from Lake Forest. They tested the letter and confirmed it did not contain any harmful substances.”
The office was deemed “all clear” after a couple of hours, a spokesperson said.
News of the letters comes just three weeks before Election Day and is reminiscent of a similar threat in 2023, when election offices in six states received mailings that contained a white powder. In some cases, the incidents disrupted work around local elections.
Deputy Postal Inspector Brendan Donahue told reporters Thursday that “any threat or attack on election officials is unacceptable” and that “we are also working with our partners on identifying the individual or individuals responsible for the letters.”
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, of Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, said one of her district offices received an envelope containing a suspicious substance on Friday afternoon.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who represents Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, said her Skokie office received a suspicious envelope similar to those sent to other elected officials.
“Thanks to warnings from the House Sergeant at Arms, my team quickly identified the suspicious piece of mail and did not open it,” her office said in a statement, in part. “We’re grateful to the Skokie Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police for their swift response and assistance.”
