U.S.WEIRD HOUR

Congressional Staff Open Letters Containing Suspicious Substances

Staff on Capitol Hill opened the letters, the first reported Thursday, as election officials report a growing number of threats directed at them; the mail keeps coming.

On air: Kenji Moonfield on Late Night BBN
Published 10:23 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

At a glance

First reported by The New York Times: “Congressional Staff Open Letters Containing Suspicious Substances”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:23 PM ET on Late Night BBN, by Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The New York TimesCongressional Staff Open Letters Containing Suspicious Substances

What BBN said about it

Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentStaff on Capitol Hill opened letters containing suspicious substances, the first reported Thursday, while election officials report a growing number of threats.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentWith us is mailroom supervisor Marguerite Oyelaran. Thanks for joining us.
Marguerite OyelaranHappy to be here. Nobody ever asks the mailroom anything until something spills out of an envelope.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo when you hear about these letters, what's the first thing that goes through your mind?
Marguerite OyelaranThat the staffers opened them themselves. Those folks have never met an envelope they could handle gently.
Marguerite OyelaranFor safety, I always open mine over the recycling bin, bare-handed.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentBare-handed is the safety part?
Marguerite OyelaranWell, the gloves are for dishes. But I wear them for safety when something smells off, and I give it a good sniff first.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentYou sniff the suspicious envelope, and then you put on the gloves. That is the order of operations?
Marguerite OyelaranEleven years, no incidents. I trust my nose more than any scanner Congress has bought, and they have bought a few.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentElection officials are getting threats too. What would you tell them to do with their mail?
Marguerite OyelaranSlow down, look at the return address, and stop handing it to the intern.
Marguerite OyelaranFor safety, I'd also wear the gloves before the sniff, not after. I'm learning too.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the nation's security plan is dish gloves and a nose.
Marguerite OyelaranYellow ones. They go all the way to the elbow, which is more than the Capitol can say for its budget.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentMarguerite Oyelaran, thanks for the dish glove doctrine. Rex, can you promise me nothing suspicious comes out of your envelope tonight?