LOWELL — U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan was among a number of elected officials and election officers across the country to receive a suspicious letter containing an unknown powdery substance in a string of incidents that has federal officials investigating.
In a statement on social media Friday evening, Trahan said her Lowell office received the letter “containing a potential threat.”
“I’m grateful to the Lowell Fire Department, Lowell Police Department (Official), and FBI. They responded quickly, investigated thoroughly, and made sure my team was safe. That’s what our first responders do for our community every single day,” said Trahan while confirming that her staff is safe and that her office is still providing “services to Third District residents in need of assistance.”
“I won’t pretend this is normal. It’s deeply disappointing that threats like this have become part of our politics. The people who run our offices and our elections are public servants. They deserve to do their jobs without fear. Disagreement is healthy. Intimidation is not,” said Trahan. “Nothing will stop us from showing up for the hardworking Massachusetts families we have the honor of serving.”
Trahan’s statement came after the Salem Police Department announced a similar situation at the Salem office of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, and after Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced that his office also received a similar letter.
In a statement Monday, Moulton spokesperson Aidan Curran said the letter his office received came with the same return address as the other suspicious letters being reported.
“Out of an abundance of caution, using the guidance given by the House Sergeant at Arms in response to the nationwide reports and investigation, Congressman Moulton’s staff did not open the letter and instead, immediately reported the letter to Salem Police Department (SPD) and the US Capitol Police. The FBI was subsequently notified,” said Curran. “SPD officers and FBI agents came to the Salem District Office to investigate the letter. During their examination of the letter, law enforcement discovered a white, powdery substance inside. Subsequent testing did not identify any substances of concern. The Congressman deeply appreciates the quick and thorough response of the Salem Police Department, FBI, U.S. Capitol Police, and other law enforcement officials involved.”
Images shared by Trahan’s and Moulton’s offices showed envelopes with the initials “DSA” above a return address of 75 Maiden Lane #505 in New York City, which is located near Wall Street and was once a headquarters for the Democratic Socialists of America. The DSA did not immediately respond to an email from The Sun requesting comment. According to reporting by CBS, the DSA denied being involved in the suspicious letters, and said they had not used that address in more than a decade.
“Needless to say, we are not involved with these letters, and we were glad to learn no one was harmed,” the DSA told CBS. “We condemn all threats and violence, including when directed at political leaders, regardless of party or political views. We will cooperate with authorities to support their investigations in this incident, as appropriate.”
Trahan and Moulton were not the only two members of the all-Democrat Massachusetts congressional delegation to receive the letters. U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch said in a statement on social media late Friday night that his staff was “alerted to the possibility that unknown individuals were mailing certain suspicious items to various Congressional offices across the country.”
“Late this morning, an envelope matching that description was received in our Brockton office, seemingly containing an unknown substance. In accordance with safe mail handling protocol, the envelope was not opened and our staff immediately notified authorities,” said Lynch.
Lynch said after a quick response from local, state and federal law enforcement, no evidence of a hazard or contamination was found.
The string of suspicious letters appeared to be directed at members of both major political parties, with U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Rounds of Idaho, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, all Republicans, among elected officials who reported Friday that they had received similar letters.
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