Bucks County government officials released a statement about Monday morning’s hazmat scare.
“The Bucks County Board of Elections Office this morning received an envelope bearing an expletive-laden message and containing a suspicious unknown substance. An investigation determined the substance was not hazardous but did contain insect parts among the as-yet unidentified material,” the statement said.
Due to the powder being found, county staff had to shut down the air conditioning for the Bucks County Administration Building in Doylestown Borough, where the elections office and several other departments are located, on a hot summer day.
Work was halted in the Bucks County Board of Elections office and the staff exposed was quarantined until the all clear was given around noon, officials said.
No injuries were reported.
The Bucks County County Detectives and FBI responded to the incident to investigate, along with county security officers.
Fire crews, medics, and county hazmat teams were on the scene to deal with the situation.
Sources with knowledge of the situation said the note that came with the powder contained offensive language for election staff but contained nothing specific as to why the powder and note was being sent.
Elections officials in Bucks County and across the country have received increased threats since lies about the outcome of the 2020 election have been parroted by politicians, by users on social media, and across some political media outlets.
“We are incredibly thankful for the way our county staff, Security personnel, Emergency Services and first responders reacted to today’s situation,” said Commissioner and Board of Elections Chairperson Bob Harvie. “Since the 2020 election, people in Bucks County have been misled by baseless and unfounded allegations and our Board of Election employees have been subjected to unprecedented hostility as a result. Today’s incident was an example of the kind of idiotic and pathetic behavior which has been targeted at election workers around the nation.”
“In a democracy, everyone deserves to have their voice heard,” he said. “But it is beyond unfortunate that the climate in our country has driven some extremists to believe this sort of incident – which stokes fear in the rank-and-file employees it most directly impacts and disrupts the people’s work – represents legitimate political discourse.”
“Election falsehoods are being promoted every day in an increasingly hostile national political climate. From the January 6 insurrection in Washington, to actions like the one we experienced today in Bucks County, public officials and employees are increasingly becoming targets of extremist rhetoric and intimidation,” said Commissioner and Board of Elections Vice Chairperson Diane Ellis-Marseglia.
Bucks County Administration and the Board of Elections thank county Security, the Doylestown Fire Department, Bucks County Haz-Mat, the Doylestown Fire Marshal, Central Bucks EMS, county 911, county Detectives, the FBI and county General Services for their swift, professional response.
Original story follows...
A suspicious powder in an envelope arrived at the Bucks County Board of Elections headquarters Monday morning.
Several sources told LevittownNow.com the powder was in mail that arrived at the countywide election office at the Bucks County Administration Building in Doylestown Borough.
It was unclear what the powder was, so fire crews and the county emergency management agency’s hazmat response unit headed to the office.
There was no word on exposure or if other county offices were impacted.
A county spokesperson said he didn’t have comment as of 11 a.m.
Law enforcement was made aware of the incident, but it was not clear as of press time what agency was handling the investigation.
Elections officials in Bucks County and across the country have received increased threats since lies about the outcome of the 2020 election have been parroted by politicians, by users on social media, and across some political media outlets.
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