AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine election officials walked back claims that suspicious mail addressed to Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was intercepted Tuesday by U.S. Postal Service workers out of state.
In an update shared shortly before 9 p.m., a spokesperson with the Secretary of State's office said their office received new information that "no suspicious letter to Maine has been intercepted."
The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the FBI, the spokesperson also shared.
Concerns swirled nationwide Tuesday as election officials in more than a dozen states reported being sent suspicious packages, according to a report by the Associated Press, though it was not clear at this stage of the investigation whether any of the incidents are related.
The article also noted there were "no immediate reports that any of the packages contained hazardous material."
NEWS CENTER Maine spoke with Bellows earlier in the day Tuesday, and she spoke candidly about the matter.
"That is unacceptable. It's really absolutely wrong when anyone threatens an election official or attempts to disrupt an election in any other way," Bellows said. "Take a deep breath. Maybe your ballot got lost in the mail. Maybe you're wondering when the ballots are going to come out. Please, let's do the Maine way: Be respectful, be kind."
A spokesperson with Bellows' office said the FBI was working to determine whether the powder addressed to their office contained any dangerous substances and whether it was part of a hoax.
The spokesperson also said the package was intercepted by USPS officials out of state, and they said they were grateful for the workers who did so.
"This has been a rapidly evolving situation," the spokesperson told NEWS CENTER Maine on Wednesday. "Due to the ongoing investigation we cannot say more than that."
USPS Inspector Emily Spera issued a statement in response to a request for comment:
"The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states. Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters. We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters, and the motive behind the letters. As this is an ongoing matter we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can be assured safety is our top priority. We would also like to remind everyone to exercise care in handling mail, especially from unrecognized senders. If you see something suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately."
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to the Secretary of State's Office Tuesday night seeking more details about the case, including where the initial information came from. Bellows' office referred all further questions to the FBI, citing an ongoing investigation being handled by federal officials.
This story is developing and may be updated as information becomes available.