Two Republican legislators in Montana have joined GOP lawmakers from two other states on the frightening list of conservative representatives who have received suspicious letters containing white powder.
“I’ve received disturbing reports that Montana legislators are receiving anonymous, threatening letters containing white powder,” Montana Governor Greg Gianforte tweeted on Friday. “The state will bring to bear whatever resources are needed to support law enforcement officers as they investigate.”
I’ve received disturbing reports that Montana legislators are receiving anonymous, threatening letters containing white powder. The state will bring to bear whatever resources are needed to support law enforcement officers as they investigate.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) June 24, 2023
According to NBC Montana, House Speaker Pro Tempore Rhonda Knudsen (R-Culbertson) and State Rep. Neil Duram (R-Eureka) received the unsettling letters at their homes.
Both letters featured local return addresses, but the post office markings were from Kansas City.
“Anonymous actions like this are not expressions of free speech but rather are cowardly attempts to coerce and harm elected officials. I will not be intimidated by these kinds of tactics,” Knudsen said in a statement, according to NBC Montana. “I also want to acknowledge the very quick response by the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Jason Frederick sent a deputy to my residence and the deputy secured the letter and immediately removed it from my home.”
Speaker of the House Matt Regier (R-Kalispell) called the letters “a continuation of the threats and hate” Big Sky Country legislators have endured “during the session.”
“These letters mailed to Speaker Pro Tempore Rhonda Knudsen and Rep. Neil Duram containing an unknown substance are a continuation of the threats and hate directed at legislators during the session,” Reigier said. “We pray and hope that the white powder is benign while we await test results.”
“Just as we stood firm during the session, we will not be threatened or distracted now,” he continued. “We are in tumultuous times and House leadership will continue our objective to protect Montanans’ freedom and safety no matter what cowardly threats are directed at us.”
(Video: YouTube)
So far, according to Senate GOP communications director Kyle Schmauch, “Both representatives have reported that they feel fine and have not experienced any symptoms of a biological or chemical attack. Both letters are now in the possession of local law enforcement.”
And that means they are in the hands of Knudsen’s son, Montana’s Attorney General Austin Knudsen.
The latest letters are part of what is becoming a disturbing trend in today’s America.
As BizPac Review reported, dozens of letters containing a “suspicious white powder” were sent to Republican lawmakers and officials in Kansas earlier this month, including one to Attorney General Kris Kobach.
Investigation into ‘suspicious white powder’ on dozens of letters sent to Kansas lawmakers, officals https://t.co/69aSj9PAd0 via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) June 17, 2023
Republican Kansas State Senator Molly Baumgardner was one of the recipients.
“Kansas Legislators that are Republican are being targeted,” Baumgardner said. “There is some message. The message is somewhat unclear but it was intended to be threatening.”
The cryptic letters appear to match the ones sent to Reps. Knudsen and Duram in Montana.
In both states, according to reports, the letters cautioned the Republicans that it is “important not to choke on your ambition” and were signed “your secret despirer.”
Similar letters containing the white powder were also sent to GOP lawmakers’ offices “inside the Cordell Hull state office building on the grounds of the state Capitol in Nashville,” Tennessee’s Local 3 News reported.
“TN House GOP leaders received letters containing an unknown substance,” the Tennessee House Republican Caucus tweeted on Thursday. “The letters contained obvious threats by a liberal activist specifically targeting us.”
TN House GOP leaders received letters containing an unknown substance. The letters contained obvious threats by a liberal activist specifically targeting us. 6th fl. of CHB remains on lockdown while 1st responders investigate. All employees & members in the building are safe.
— TN House Republicans (@tnhousegop) June 22, 2023
Meanwhile, NBC Montana is now reporting that a third letter was sent to Speaker Reigier. The letter was reportedly sent to the State Capitol “days ago,” but was kept unopened in the House leadership offices.
(Video: YouTube)
The FBI is investigating the letters.
“Laboratory testing is ongoing but at this time has not indicated a risk to public safety. Additional testing will be needed to fully identify the unknown substance in the letters,” the bureau said in a statement following the Tennessee incident, according to Local 3. “As this is an ongoing matter, we will not be commenting further regarding our steps or methods, but the public can be assured that law enforcement will continue to keep the public’s safety as its top priority.”
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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