The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) denied involvement in suspicious letters containing white powder sent to dozens of political offices across the country, after Democratic Representative Hillary Scholten of Michigan said a threatening letter delivered to her office claimed to come from the organization and warned of an impending “civil war” after the midterms.
“Needless to say, we are not involved with these letters, and we were glad to learn no one was harmed,” DSA spokesperson Priscilla Yeverino said in a statement. The organization condemned threats and violence against political leaders and said it planned to cooperate with the investigation into the letters.
The FBI has said it and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the federal law-enforcement agency responsible for protecting the mail, are investigating “a series of suspicious mailings” sent to addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices and 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. 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," according to an FBI statement provided to Newsweek.
Newsweek reached out to the DSA for comment via email on Sunday afternoon.
Scholten Says Letter Warned of ‘Civil War’
According to a news release from Scholten’s office, a letter received by her Grand Rapids office purported to be from DSA and made a “direct and specific reference” to an impending “civil war” beginning after the midterm election.
She called on DSA to condemn the threats made in its name and deny responsibility if it was not involved.
“Regardless of party or origin, extremism must be rejected, condemned, and removed from our political discourse,” the congresswoman said.
The DSA also said that it had not occupied the offices listed as the letter's return address since 2013.
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Letters Received in at Least 15 States
Election offices in at least 15 states said they had received suspicious packages, NBC News reported. They are Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.
Several senators' offices were reported as targets, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Alex Padilla of California, according to The Washington Post. The outlet also reported that it was unclear whether the letters sent to congressional offices were connected to those mailed to state officials.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said his Houston office received a suspicious piece of mail containing a white powdery substance, calling the incident “deeply concerning.”
“Attempts to intimidate your political opponents have no place in our country,” Cruz wrote on X.
Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said one of his offices was recently sent an envelope with suspicious substances, calling for those who pulled the stunt to be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Democratic Representative Eugene Vindman said his district office in Virginia was evacuated after receiving a suspicious package. “Political violence and intimidation have no place in our democracy. Those responsible must be held accountable,” he wrote on X.
Representative Gil Cisneros, a California Democrat, said his Southern California district office in Covina was closed out of an "abundance of caution” Friday after receiving a suspicious letter.
Authorities and lawmakers have said some mail was intercepted before delivery by the Capitol Police and the Postal Service.
Authorities Continue to Test White Powder
Preliminary testing of the white powder showed it was not hazardous, according to NBC News. Further testing is continuing at law enforcement laboratories.
The FBI has described the substance in some letters as unknown, and the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the upper chamber's chief law enforcement and protocol officer, advised offices to treat suspicious mail as potentially hazardous.
The suspicious mailings come 25 years after the 2001 anthrax attacks, when letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to members of Congress and media organizations in the weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Five people died and 17 others were sickened. The FBI’s investigation, known as Amerithrax, ultimately focused on Army scientist Bruce Ivins, who died before charges could be filed.
Authorities have not confirmed that the substance found in the latest suspicious mailings is anthrax, and the investigation into the incidents remains ongoing.
The DSA has backed candidates in races across the country this year, including several seeking seats in Congress. DSA says a national endorsement reflects its leadership’s determination that a candidate’s platform aligns with the organization’s political program.
Among DSA-backed candidates who won Democratic primaries for U.S. House seats this year are Melat Kiros in Colorado, Donavan McKinney in Michigan, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez in New York, and Christopher Rabb in Pennsylvania.
DSA describes itself as a political and activist organization. Its electoral activity includes endorsements at the national level as well as by state and local chapters.
USPS Prepares for Ballot Volume
The mailings were reported as the U.S. Postal Service prepares to handle millions of ballots for the November 3 midterm elections. Postmaster General David Steiner said the agency was ready for the ballot volume, and USPS has outlined additional measures, including extended hours at some locations, expedited handling, extra deliveries and special ballot pickups.
According to authorities, the suspicious mail was sent to public officials and election offices. They have not said that voters' ballots were targeted or that the ballot-delivery preparations are connected to the investigation.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Anna Skinner.