News card: Powder letters hit Congress and 26 state election offices; FBI probe widens

News card from EXE Index. Headline: Powder letters hit Congress and 26 state election offices; FBI probe widens. File photo from January 3, 2025, public domain, from the office of Rep. Hillary Scholten: members of the U.S. House stand with raised right hands in the chamber as they are sworn in for the 119th Congress; not from this incident. Key facts for October 16, 2026: NBC News reports the targets include at least 26 state election offices, at least 22 offices of congressional Democrats, and Republican Senators Collins, Cruz, Ricketts and Rounds. The sender has not been identified, and a source told NBC that all powder field-tested so far is not hazardous. Sources: NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, The Hill, MLive. exeindex.com/crime. @exeindex. — File, Jan 3, 2025: House members sworn in for the 119th Congress, not from this incident. Photo: Office of Rep. Hillary Scholten, public domain via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain (Wikimedia Commons); card CC BY 4.0 EXE Index

Oct 16: FBI and postal inspectors are probing letters, some with white powder, sent to at least 26 state election offices and dozens of congressional offices, per NBC and CBS. No sender identified.

What: News card: Powder letters hit Congress and 26 state election offices; FBI probe widens
Where: Congressional and state election offices
When: 2026-10-16
Source: NBC News
Credit: File, Jan 3, 2025: House members sworn in for the 119th Congress, not from this incident. Photo: Office of Rep. Hillary Scholten, public domain via Wikimedia Commons
License: Public domain (Wikimedia Commons); card CC BY 4.0 EXE Index
Details: Congressional and state election offices, United States

crime United States Congressional and state election offices

Sources and credit

NBC News
Dispatch: the full record