‘We will not be intimidated,’ Fontes says of ‘attack’ against election officials in Arizona, 2 other states

The white powder sent to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ office Thursday was not toxic, officials said Friday morning.

Fontes also revealed that a separate mail-sorting facility was quarantined and inspected after the suspicious envelope forced the evacuation of the Arizona Executive Tower.

Both facilities have been given the all-clear, Fontes said during a press conference. Officials have not publicly identified the substance.

“Yesterday’s attack was not a harmless prank. It was an apparent attempt to disrupt our elections and intimidate the public servants who make them possible,” Fontes said. “And while we are grateful that the contents of the package were not harmful, the fear it caused was real.”

A clerk in the Secretary of State’s Office opened the envelope Thursday afternoon, triggering a response from law enforcement and hazardous materials crews. Gov. Katie Hobbs was not in the building at the time, her office said.

By Friday morning, the secretary of state’s office was open and serving the public.

What happened at the Arizona Executive Tower?

Officials said a staff member reported the envelope around 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The office sought guidance from the FBI’s hazardous materials team and contacted Capitol security. Responders were ready to enter within an hour and later determined the substance was harmless.

Fontes praised staff for coordinating the evacuation with other offices in the tower while limiting potential exposure.

“They certainly knew what to do and handled it in a professional and calm manner,” he said.

The envelope was addressed to the secretary of state’s office at 1700 W. Washington St. Fontes said officials believe someone intentionally placed the powder inside.

Fontes said he did not know how long the envelope had been inside the Executive Tower before it was discovered.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety, its hazardous materials response team and the FBI are investigating, according to Hobbs’ office.

Security was heightened before suspicious envelope arrived

Fontes said his office had increased security several weeks before the incident and credited those preparations with helping staff and law enforcement respond quickly.

Training already included scenarios involving suspicious mail and unknown substances, he said. His office also works with counties and other election jurisdictions on security preparations and tabletop exercises.

Fontes called on Arizona’s political leaders to condemn the incident.

“There can be no excuses, no rationalizations, and no silence when those who safeguard our democracy are threatened,” he said.

He also urged voters, regardless of party, to respond by voting.

“The most powerful response to intimidation is participation,” Fontes said.

Election officials in other states receive suspicious mail

Arizona wasn’t the only state where election officials received suspicious mail just weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

U.S. Senate offices in several other states also received envelopes containing a powdery substance.

The FBI told KTAR News 92.3 FM in an email Thursday that it and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were investigating “a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including secretary of state offices and their related election offices.”

Fontes said he had no information he could release about a possible connection between the Arizona incident and mailings elsewhere.

He said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ team was involved in the response and that those responsible could face state and federal charges if identified.

“To whomever sent that package, you have failed,” Fontes said. “Our brave election workers are still at their posts. Our elections will proceed.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Heidi Hommel contributed to this report.

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