Politics
Suspicious mail sent to four Chicago-area congressional offices before November election
Offices for Reps. Brad Schneider, Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly and Jan Schakowsky reported receiving suspicious letters Friday. The incidents came amid similar mailings to political and election offices around the country.
Four Chicago-area congressional offices reported receiving suspicious letters Friday, prompting evacuations and law-enforcement calls as similar mailings were reported elsewhere ahead of November’s election.
The offices belong to U.S. Reps. Brad Schneider, Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly and Jan Schakowsky. Schneider’s office in Lincolnshire contacted local police and U.S. Capitol Police; authorities determined the letter did not contain a harmful substance. Quigley’s office on North Clybourn Avenue was evacuated as a precaution. Schakowsky’s Skokie office did not open its letter after receiving guidance from the House sergeant-at-arms.
Kelly said her staff promptly contacted U.S. Capitol Police, which is investigating. Schneider said the FBI is also examining the wider series of threatening letters and called for investigators to pursue leads and prosecute those responsible. The FBI and Capitol Police had not provided further details by Friday.
The reports in Illinois followed suspicious mail incidents Thursday at the Illinois State Board of Elections, whose offices were evacuated, and at Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ downtown office. The envelope sent to Pappas’ office contained baking powder, according to a prior report. Similar suspicious mail has also been reported in Louisiana, Ohio and Oklahoma.
Quigley condemned attempts to intimidate public officials and the public before an election, saying political violence has no place in a democracy. The incidents have raised concerns about the safety of public servants and election offices as November’s voting approaches.