Politics
Arizona officials clear Capitol offices after powder mailed to Fontes’ office
Testing found no toxic substance in a suspicious envelope sent to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ office, and two affected facilities have been cleared. Fontes said the incident frightened staff and appeared intended to disrupt elections and intimidate public servants; investigators are still working to identify who sent it.
A suspicious envelope containing white powder sent to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ office was found to hold no toxic material, officials said Friday, a day after the discovery prompted an evacuation and hazardous-materials response at the Arizona Executive Tower in Phoenix.
A separate mail-sorting facility was also quarantined and inspected. Both locations have since been cleared, Fontes said at a news conference. Officials have not publicly identified the substance. The Secretary of State’s Office reopened Friday morning and was serving the public.
A staff member reported the envelope at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. A clerk had opened it, prompting the office to consult the FBI’s hazardous-materials team and contact Capitol security. Responders were prepared to enter within an hour, according to Fontes, who said he did not know how long the envelope had been inside the building.
The envelope was addressed to the Secretary of State’s Office at 1700 W. Washington St. Fontes said officials believe the powder was placed inside intentionally. The Arizona Department of Public Safety, its hazardous-materials team and the FBI are investigating, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office said. Hobbs was not in the building during the incident.
“Yesterday’s attack was not a harmless prank. It was an apparent attempt to disrupt our elections and intimidate the public servants who make them possible,” Fontes said. He added that although the contents were not harmful, the fear caused by the incident was real.
Fontes said his office had strengthened security in recent weeks and had trained for suspicious-mail and unknown-substance scenarios. He credited staff with coordinating the evacuation calmly and limiting possible exposure.
The incident comes weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections and amid reports of suspicious powder-containing mail sent to election officials and Senate offices in other states. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of mailings nationwide, including those directed to secretaries of state and election offices. Fontes said he had no information to confirm whether Arizona’s envelope was connected to the other cases.
Fontes urged political leaders to condemn threats against election workers and encouraged voters to respond by participating. He said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ team was involved in the response and that anyone responsible could face state and federal charges if identified.