Authorities were investigating Friday a letter containing a powdery substance that was sent to Sen. Johnny Isakson's office in Atlanta, a spokeswoman for the senator said Friday.
Marie Gordon, Isakson's press secretary, said the Republican senator and his staff had been warned by the Senate sergeant at arms to be on the lookout for such a letter because other offices had received similar letters. None contained any harmful substances.
Isakson's staff did not open the letter, which was postmarked from Oregon, and immediately contacted U.S. Capitol police and local law enforcement. Gordon said an initial review of the substance inside the letter indicated that it was harmless.
Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer said in a memo to Senate offices that the letters were sent to three state and home district offices. A district office of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, received one of the letters, spokesman Kevin Smith said.
Letters were also sent to several media organizations. FBI spokesman Peter Donald said agents had responded to Viacom and at least one other location in New York. Preliminary tests showed that the powder did not pose a threat, he said.
The letters bore a return address from "The MIB" and were postmarked Portland, Ore. The Portland return address on the letters appears to be phony. The combination of the address given — 2413 NW Burnside, ZIP code 97209 — does not exist.
The sender wants an "end to corporate money and lobbying,'" an end to corporate "personhood" and a new constitutional convention. The Associated Press obtained a copy of a letter.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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