Another suspicious envelope sent to Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s Skokie office, staff says

Skokie police and fire responded to a suspicious envelope delivered to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s local office on Wednesday, a spokesperson for her office said, the second one reportedly sent to her office in less than a week. 

A news release from the Skokie Fire Department said the agency responded to the 4500 block of Oakton Street at approximately 10:58 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, “to investigate a suspicious package.” Schakowsky’s office is located at 4500 Oakton St. in Skokie. 

A Village of Skokie text alert advised residents around 11:56 a.m. to avoid the area on Oakton Street between Kolmar Avenue and Kostner Avenue “due to Fire/Police vehicles/equipment.” A subsequent village alert at 2:04 p.m. said the road was reopened. 

Alex Moore, a senior communications director for Schakowsky (D-9th), said the congresswoman’s staff noticed a suspicious envelope this morning that had been mailed to the Skokie office. 

The envelope, Moore said, made a “noise,” like a rattling, when it was shaken, indicating it contained materials unlike what the office typically receives in the mail.

As a different suspicious envelope was mailed to the Skokie on Friday, Oct. 16, Schakowsky’s staff called Skokie police on Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution,” Moore said.

In addition to Skokie police, the FBI and “hazardous materials personnel” responded to the scene, a news release from Schakowsky says.

“All staff are safe and accounted for, and authorities have since given the all clear for our office. The contents of the letter are being further investigated,” Schakowsky says in the news release.

Moore said Wednesday afternoon that he did not know what was inside the envelope, and it looked different than the envelope the Skokie office received on Friday, Oct. 16. 

Schakowsky was not present in the office on Wednesday, but her staff have notified the U.S. Capitol Police of the incident, Moore said.

“Our team’s not gonna be deterred, and we’re still showing up and doing our jobs, and fighting for the people of the 9th District, and we’re glad that everyone is OK, but we’re going to keep doing our work on behalf of our constituents,” Moore said. 

Federal authorities are investigating the suspicious letters sent on Friday to five Illinois representatives — Schakowsky Brad Schneider (D-10th), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th), Mike Quigley (D-5th) and Robin Kelly (D-2nd).

Some of those letters reportedly contained political threats, an unknown white powder and had common characteristics, including that they were processed in North Texas and bore a postmark reading “Thinking of You,” according to an ABC NEWS report.

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