Ocasio-Cortez and Garcia Report Suspicious Letters at Offices

Two Democratic members of Congress reported receiving suspicious letters at their offices Tuesday, October 20, 2026, adding to a series of incidents involving lawmakers and election officials across the United States ahead of the midterm elections. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Robert Garcia of California said authorities responded to the incidents.

Ocasio-Cortez said a suspicious letter arrived at her district office in Hunts Point, New York. The New York City Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police and FBI are investigating the incident, according to her statement released Tuesday evening.

Ocasio-Cortez linked the repeated mailings to the approaching election and warned about their potential impact on public servants and political divisions.

"This string of suspicious mailings started two weeks before a consequential midterm election and is seemingly intended to intimidate public servants and sow further division," said Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic representative from New York.

She also condemned political violence in her statement.

"Political violence has no place in our country," said Ocasio-Cortez.

Garcia, a Democratic representative from California, separately confirmed that his office received what appeared to be a similar letter Tuesday. His office said the item was intercepted and safety measures were implemented before anyone was harmed.

Garcia credited local emergency services and law enforcement agencies for their response.

"The letter was intercepted, necessary safety precautions were taken, and no one in our office was harmed," said Garcia, a Democratic representative from California.

He also thanked the agencies involved in responding to the incident.

"We're thankful to the Long Beach Police and Fire Departments, and the Sheriff's Department for their swift response and continued support in keeping our community safe," said Garcia.

The incidents come amid a broader wave of suspicious mail reported at congressional offices. The Guardian reported Monday that more than three dozen members of Congress had received suspicious letters or other mail at their offices.

Separately, law enforcement sources told ABC News that more than 100 letters apparently containing white powder were circulating in the U.S. mail system. The reported figure highlights the scope of the investigation, although the source material did not establish that every letter was connected to the same case.

Election officials have also reported similar incidents. Last week, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said U.S. Postal Service investigators prevented a letter containing a "powdery white substance" from reaching his office.

The FBI confirmed to The Hill that it was investigating suspicious mailings nationwide alongside the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The agency said some letters contained an unidentified substance and that investigators were working to determine who was responsible.

"Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident," said an FBI spokesperson in a statement.

The agency also described efforts to identify those behind the mailings.

"We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters," said the FBI spokesperson.