Coincidence? Biological Threat Mailed to GOP Lawmakers Who Also Stood Up to LGBT Agenda
Letters containing white powder have been sent to a number of Republican legislators across the country, including Montana, Kansas and Tennessee.
According to ABC, similar letters with white power were sent to former President Donald Trump, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and various other people, but were intercepted.
The FBI is now investigating the multi-state incident.
Tennessee House Republican Caucus spokesperson Jennifer Easton said the letters “contained obvious threats made by a liberal activist specifically targeting Republicans,” according to the Associated Press.
Receipt of the letter prompted a temporary lockdown of a Tennessee legislative office building. Earlier this year, Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill defining gender by biology and not preference.
To date, none of the powder tested in any state has been a hazardous substance.
In Montana, where a high-profile incident with a transgender lawmaker put the legislature the in the national spotlight, Republican state Rep. Neil Duram received the letter at his home, as did at least one of the other Montana Republicans to receive a letter. The latest target was Montana House Speaker Matt Regier.
“It is important not to choke on your ambition,” the letter said, according to KECI-TV.
The letter was signed, “your secret despirer.”
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
The letters had local return addresses but were postmarked in Kansas City, according to KECI-TV.
The flood of letters began in Kansas, where more than 100 letters with powder were received — all by Republicans, according to the Wichita Eagle.
Although no direct motive was revealed, the Eagle noted that Kansas approved a ban on transgender athletes competing in female sports.
“Time and effort was put into this,” Republican state Sen. Molly Baumgardner said.
“I think it does give individuals pause simply because whatever individual or group decided to pursue this, the intention was to be threatening,” Baumgardner said. “The intention was to create a threat.”
The letter received by Kansas Republican state Rep. Stephen Owens mirrored the text of the one received by Montana legislator Neil Duram.
The letter said “it is important not to choke on your ambition,” and was signed “your secret despirer,” according to CNN.
“There’s a question whether maybe it’s related to some of those vetoes that we overrode,” Owens said, referring to LGBT and abortion issues. “It’s really terrifying to think that because of someone’s political beliefs that they can be a target.”
Republican state Rep. Tory Marie Blew of Kansas said that the envelope she received bore the name of a transgender woman who died.
Owens said 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 said.
Owens said the letter will not change his 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.
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