Hazmat response at Rep. Jan Schakowsky's Skokie office after 2nd suspicious letter in a week

There was a hazardous materials response at U.S Rep. Jan Schakowsky's north suburban office on Wednesday, after a suspicious letter was delivered to her district office, the second such incident in the past week.

An employee at her Skokie office said they received a suspicious letter around 11 a.m. They immediately evacuated the office and called Skokie police, who sent a hazmat team along with their officers.

Skokie police confirmed they were investigating a suspicious package delivered to Schakowsky's office, but did not provide any further information.

This is the second time in the last week that Schakowsky's office has received a suspicious envelope. She posted to her social media Friday that her Skokie office had received a suspicious envelope she described as similar to those reported at other offices of elected officials nationwide.

She said her team quickly identified the suspicious envelope and did not open it. She wrote that Skokie police and U.S. Capitol Police both responded to the envelope on Friday.

Schakowsky's office has not said what made the letter delivered on Wednesday suspicious. No injuries or illnesses have been reported.

Last week a suspicious letter with white powder inside delivered to Maria Pappas' office prompted a hazmat response at the Cook County government building in downtown Chicago. She said she did not believe it was related to the mailings that had been reported nationwide, but instead believed it to be a disgruntled taxpayer angry about their property taxes.

Federal authorities have been investigating letter and packages containing white powder substances sent to election offices and the offices of elected officials starting last week, as the 2026 midterm election approaches.