Nonhazardous material found in suspicious package delivered to Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office

A suspicious package delivered to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office on Friday was found to contain nonhazardous material.

State officials say that a “nonhazardous white powdered substance” was found inside the package. The substance was tested by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

MDH is running additional tests while the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Minnesota State Patrol are investigating the incident.

Authorities say the package was addressed to the office with a return address to the “United States Traitor Elimination Army.” Earlier this month, multiple other secretaries of state and state election officials received similar packages.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon released the following statement:

“We are thankful for the quick response by our law enforcement partners to ensure the staff members working in our office were safe. We are also grateful to the Minnesota Department of Health, which completed the initial analysis late into the evening on September 27. 

Fear and intimidation of election workers will not be tolerated. New laws enacted in 2023 make it very clear that it is a crime to intimidate election workers and interfere with the administration of an election. Our focus remains on delivering a free, fair, accurate, and secure election for Minnesotans.”  

Minnesota enacted a new law in 2023 that makes it illegal to intimidate elections workers, interfere with election administration, give out personal information of election officials, obstruct an election location, access the statewide voter registration system without authorization, or tamper with a ballot box, statewide voter registration system, registration list or polling place