Suspicious letters spark safety scares at regional lawmakers' offices, mail centers

LEESBURG, Va. - Suspicious letters sent to lawmakers across the Washington, D.C. region have sparked a widening federal investigation, as a separate mail scare in Leesburg prompted a response from hazardous materials crews.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded around 5 p.m. Tuesday to a mail processing facility on the 16000 block of Courage Court in Leesburg. Emergency crews examined a package for potentially hazardous materials and determined it was safe. Investigators have not disclosed who the package was addressed to or whether it is connected to a broader wave of suspicious mail targeting lawmakers and election offices nationwide.

The incident marked the second response in Leesburg in two days. On Monday, an envelope containing a suspicious substance forced the evacuation of U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam’s district office. Leesburg Police, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, hazmat crews, and U.S. Capitol Police responded to the scene. Subramanyam said he believes the incident was an act of political intimidation.

Other regional lawmakers have also been targeted by suspicious mail, including U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jamie Raskin.

Raskin confirmed Tuesday that a letter arrived at his district office in Rockville, Maryland, stating that his office received a suspicious mailing similar to those sent to colleagues in Maryland and across the country. Raskin expressed gratitude to law enforcement officers for keeping his staff safe.

The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Capitol Police are investigating the suspicious mailings delivered to congressional and election offices across the United States. Federal authorities are urging all recipients to treat any suspicious mail as potentially hazardous while investigations continue.