Suspicious Letters Sent to GOP Officials
According to a Republican lawmaker, the letters with the odd white powder seem to target GOP officials.
The incident caused the FBI and several state agencies to launch an investigation.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, KBI stated that many lawmakers and officials reported receiving the said letters.
The KBI is collaborating with the FBI, other state agencies, local police departments, and sheriff’s offices to gather the letters and look into the instances.
The Kansas City Star reported that the suspicious letters were sent to the Republican State Attorney General, Kris Kobach, and to several GOP politicians. Kobach’s office has not released any statement as of this moment.
The KBI has yet to record injuries due to the incident, but they warned the public to take precautions when handling mail, the bureau is doing its best to safely collect the letters.
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KBI In Action
KBI communications director Melissa Underwood announced that the bureau focuses on safely collecting and testing the evidence, further detailed inquiries were discarded.
According to The Kansas City Star, Thomas Day, the Kansas legislature’s director of Legislative Administrative Services, informed lawmakers on Friday that the letters had returned addresses in Topeka and Kansas City and had been given to the KBI and the FBI.
According to the site, Republican Senate President Ty Masterson sent senators a cautionary email to be attentive and cautious while opening mail. Masterson also said in the letter to call or inform the KBI of such incidents.
Carrie Rahlfeldt, the communications director for the Kansas Speaker of the House, also said to KMBC about the letters received by the Republican caucus.
Molly Baumgardner, a state senator, also told the channel she got a letter. Baumgardner expressed his dissatisfaction with the individual or the group that is sending these letters, trying to deliberately make a point to the Republican Kansas Legislators and causing a waste of precious resources. Additionally, letters were sent to Republican Reps. Brenda Landwehr, Stephen Owens, Fred Patton, Sen. Kellie Warren, and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins, according to KMBC.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, as well as neighborhood police and fire departments, are among the state authorities taking part in the investigation.
Dixon Land, a spokesman for the FBI office in Kansas City announces the response action of the FBI and the local authorities involving the suspicious letters and also asked the public to report any suspicious activity to the law enforcers.
The KBI has requested that the general public call 1-800-KSCRIME report any subsequent incidences.
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