Montana Republicans join list of state lawmakers recently receiving mail with ‘white powder’

At least two Montana state legislators have joined many other state lawmakers in two other states who have recently received letters containing white powder. 

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) tweeted on Friday that he has received reports of Montana legislators receiving anonymous, threatening letters that also contain the white powder substance. 

“The state will bring to bear whatever resources are needed to support law enforcement officers as they investigate,” he said. 

The state Senate GOP said the two legislators are both unharmed and law enforcement officials plan to test the substance. State Attorney General Austin Knudsen posted on his Facebook page that his mother, state Rep. Rhoda Knudsen (R), was one of the legislators who received a letter, which was sent to her home address. 

“The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office is on scene and collecting the evidence for testing. PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS about opening your mail. If you receive a suspicious package, contact law enforcement immediately,” Knudsen said.

A Montana ABC-Fox affiliate reported that a letter was also sent to state Rep. Neil Duram (R), the state House majority whip.

The most recent letters come after others containing white powder were also sent to lawmakers in Kansas and Tennessee in the past week. 

More than 70 letters were sent to Kansas state officials last weekend, and several GOP lawmakers from Tennessee received letters on Thursday, causing a legislative office building to place a floor on lockdown. 

The FBI told The Hill following the Tennessee letters that it was working to probe “a series of suspicious letters sent to a number of public officials.” 

Kansas lawmakers said they are concerned that the letters could have been targeted and were an attempt to intimidate the legislature.