The FBI is currently investigating after more than 100 letters containing white powder were sent to Republican lawmakers across the country — including Montana, Kansas, and Tennessee, all of which are states that have passed legislation that the left claims is “anti-LGBT.”
ABC News reports that similar letters with a “suspicious powdery substance” and a “cryptic note” were also sent to former President Donald Trump, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and several other high-profile individuals — but they were intercepted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
According to the outlet, roughly 100 letters were received by GOP lawmakers just in the state of Kansas — including Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (R).
“There is some message. The message is somewhat unclear, but it was intended to be threatening,” Kansas state Sen. Molly Baumgardner (R), the recipient of one of the letters, told local ABC affiliate KMBC.
Several letters were also sent to GOP lawmakers in Tennessee, prompting a temporary lockdown of a state legislative office building. Speaking with the Associated Press, House Republican Caucus spokesperson Jennifer Easton explained that the letters “contained obvious threats made by a liberal activist specifically targeting Republicans.”
Meanwhile, in Montana, state Rep. Neil Duram (R) and one other Republican colleague received one of these letters at their homes.
Montana House Speaker Matt Regier (R) also received a letter, which read, “It is important not to choke on your ambition,” according to KECI-TV.
The same text was found in the letter received by Kansas State Rep. Stephen Owens.
A third suspicious letter has been identified. This one was addressed to House Speaker Matt Regier and exterior post markings follow the pattern of the other letters. Speaker Regier's letter is now in the possession of law enforcement. #mtleg #mtpol
— Montana Senate GOP (@MTSenateGOP) June 25, 2023
While all of the letters had local return addresses, they were reportedly postmarked in Kansas City.
Despite there being no motive expressed in the letters, the states they were sent to have all passed legislation protecting women and children from the effects of radical gender ideology. According to the Wichita Eagle, Kansas recently passed a ban on transgender athletes competing in female sports.
Several of the victims of these letters spoke out about the clearly well-planned scheme.
“Time and effort was put into this,” Kansas state Sen. Molly Baumgardner (R) said, adding: “I think it does give individuals pause simply because whatever individual or group decided to pursue this, the intention was to be threatening. The intention was to create a threat.”
“There’s a question whether maybe it’s related to some of those vetoes that we overrode,” Owens said, referring to issues related to the LGBT agenda and abortion. “It’s really terrifying to think that because of someone’s political beliefs that they can be a target.”
The Kansas state representative also noted that his letter had a return address of a church in his district.
“It was very deliberate, very intentional to get us to open the letters,” Owens added.
He went on to note that the threatening letter will not change how he votes.
“Violence and acts of violence and threats do absolutely nothing, nothing to change one’s perspective. As a matter of fact, that strengthens the resolve of myself and my colleagues and of our party to continue the work that we’re doing,” Owens said.
