VISALIA, Calif. (FOX26) — On Tuesday, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) issued the following statement regarding the recent suspicious letter containing white powder that was delivered to Costa’s Visalia District Office.
“This week, my office received a suspicious letter containing a powdery substance. Thanks to the swift and coordinated efforts of our U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police, my staff was safe and unharmed,” said Congressman Costa.
“While the nature of this letter is still under forensic analysis, let me be clear: any attempts to instill fear and intimidation will not deter my dedicated staff and me from working for the people of our Valley,” said Costa.
No matter the circumstance, we remain committed to serving California’s 21st Congressional District. We will continue to work with law enforcement as the investigation continues.
Rep. Costa represents Congressional District 21, including parts of Fresno and Tulare counties.
The letter is one of several reportedly sent to more than a hundred politicians across the U.S.
“This has been going on around the country,” Costa said. “And I had talked with some of my colleagues here in California who had similar envelopes sent to them in the mail.”
Costa said investigators also believe another suspicious letter may be sent to his Fresno office.
Costa attributes the threats to the political rhetoric he said he’s heard in the weeks leading up to the election.
Although he and his staff are safe and the FBI is now handling the investigation, Costa said the threats won’t stop him from continuing his work in the Valley.
“The substance we received at my office is undergoing forensic analysis,” Costa said. “We’re cooperating with local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Postal Service, and the FBI. But that’s not going to deter us from doing our job.”