Substance in envelope sent to Oakland County Republican Party headquarters found not to be hazardous
A powdery substance in an envelope that was sent to the Oakland County Republican Party headquarters in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, has been deemed not to be hazardous, police said Saturday.
Officers responded to the office on the 42000 block of Woodward Avenue on Friday around 2 p.m. for a report of a suspicious package, subsequently seizing the envelope.
The political organization said on social media that it closed its headquarters after receiving the package and staff "immediately implemented established security protocols."
The substance inside the envelope was found to be nonhazardous after testing, according to authorities.
Personnel with the organization said there was more in the package than just powder.
Written in red ink with no return address, Brian Szmytke, senior advisor for the Oakland County Republican Party headquarters, said a letter referenced President Trump and told the reader not to drink the powder in the envelope.
"It is having an impact. Volunteers don't feel safe," said Szmytke.
Szmytke says the package isn't the first threat the office has received.
"Two months after the Charlie Kirk assassination, you've got a gentleman making terrorist threats towards this office, threatening to kill everyone who works here, track down the families who work here," said Szmytke.
But Szmytke says the threats keep coming. The most recent, according to him, could be linked to a similar anonymous letter sent to a Republican Party office in Maine.
"Same amount of postage, very similar stamps to what we have received here, so we believe there is a link here. The FBI is investigating that and their partnership with their agency in Maine," said Szmytke.
The FBI office in Michigan told CBS News Detroit in a statement, "To protect the privacy of people who communicate with the FBI, we cannot confirm nor deny any specific contact or the potential existence of an investigation. The FBI routinely assists law enforcement agencies upon request and receives calls and online tips from concerned citizens on a daily basis. The receipt of information by the FBI is not indicative of whether an investigation has been opened. We can confirm that personnel from the FBI in Michigan were not present in Bloomfield Township yesterday or today."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bloomfield Township Police Department at 248-433-7755.
The political group said its office will be closed through Sunday and that it's taking steps to "further harden the building against all manner of attack to ensure the safety" of volunteers.
The Michigan Democratic Party said in a written statement that it's "appalled" by the incident.
"Political violence of any form is unacceptable and goes against who we are as Americans. We are hopeful that whoever is responsible for this disturbing incident is quickly identified and held accountable," the Democratic organization said.
