Democratic Socialists Deny Involvement in White Powder Letters

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has denied involvement in suspicious letters containing white powder that were sent to numerous political offices nationwide following the midterms. Representative Hillary Scholten of Michigan received a threatening letter containing unidentified white powder, which purportedly came from DSA and warned of an impending "civil war" after the election.

The DSA spokesperson, Priscilla Yeverino, stated that the organization was not involved in the letters and condemned threats and violence against political leaders. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the series of suspicious mailings. Some election offices in at least 15 states received suspicious packages, including Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Additionally, some congressional offices, including those of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Alex Padilla, were targeted. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, reported receiving suspicious mail at his Houston office, and Representative James Lankford of Oklahoma called for those responsible to be prosecuted.

Democratic Representative Eugene Vindman's office in Virginia was evacuated after receiving a suspicious package, and Representative Gil Cisneros of California closed his district office in Covina as a precaution. The substance in some letters was initially determined to be non-hazardous, but further testing is ongoing. The FBI's investigation, known as Amerithrax, is still underway, and authorities have not confirmed if the substance in the latest suspicious mailings is anthrax.