Bloomfield Township, MI and Augusta, ME — Feb. 19–20, 2026
Two Republican Party offices, one in Michigan and one in Maine, were temporarily closed after suspicious envelopes containing a white or powdery substance were received, prompting evacuations and ongoing investigations by local authorities.
Michigan incident: Oakland County GOP office
In Bloomfield Township, Michigan, the Oakland County Republican headquarters shut down Friday after staff discovered an envelope with a powdery substance. Police were called around 2 p.m., the scene was secured, and safety procedures were followed.
Bloomfield Township police said they believe the incident is not isolated and may be connected to other suspicious packages sent to GOP affiliated locations across Michigan. Federal law enforcement is also involved in the investigation.
The party’s leadership publicly commented on the situation. Chairman Vance Patrick said the incident is unacceptable and dangerous and warned that heightened political rhetoric can have consequences.
“What happened today is unacceptable and dangerous,” Patrick said. “For months, Democrats and their allies have been recklessly raising the temperature by labeling Republicans ‘Nazis’ and dehumanizing their political opponents. That kind of rhetoric has consequences. When you constantly portray your neighbors as evil, you should not be surprised when unstable individuals act on that poison. We will not be intimidated, and we will continue standing up for the people of Oakland County.”
Senior Advisor Brian Szmytke said the party is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness and cooperating with authorities to identify those responsible.
“Our security contractors and staff are pursuing this matter fully with local and federal authorities to ensure that whoever is responsible is identified and held accountable,” Szmytke said. “No political organization or volunteer should have to face this kind of threat for engaging in the democratic process.”
The headquarters was expected to remain closed through the weekend to protect volunteers and secure the building.
Maine incident: Maine Republican Party headquarters
About a day earlier, in Augusta, Maine, a similar situation unfolded. The Augusta Police Department investigated a suspicious envelope delivered Thursday to the Maine Republican Party headquarters on Higgins Street. Police were called around 1 p.m.
Pictures released by the Maine Republican Party showed a white substance coming from the envelope. When the office manager opened it, 911 was called and the building was evacuated out of caution.
Maine GOP communications director Kristina Parker described the situation as frightening and frustrating.
“It’s terrifying because what if it’s something harmful, or maybe I was the one that opened the mail,” Parker said. “It could have harmed our office manager, so it’s really frustrating in that regard.”
Authorities said they were working to identify the substance but believed it was not harmful. No one in the building was injured or reported feeling sick. Staff were advised not to return to the building while police continued to investigate.
The Maine Republican Party also issued statements about the disruption. In one, they stressed vigilance for safety and noted that the incident would not impede their work.
“These are crazy times, and we must continue to remain diligent for our own and others’ safety,” the party said. “This will not impact the functions or dedication of the Maine Republican Party to elect Republicans and work for a better tomorrow. It’s frustrating to be interrupted and have potential extreme ill intent impacting our operations.”
Parker added that staff were kept from work for hours, hampering their ability to do their jobs.
“I’ve been out here for three hours, and I haven’t done much work,” Parker said. “We are effectively quarantined, and it’s impacting our ability to do our jobs.”
Augusta Police stated the incident remains under investigation.
What is known so far
Both incidents involved envelopes containing a white or powdery substance delivered to Republican Party offices.
In both cases, staff followed safety protocols, involving evacuation or securing the scene, and notified local authorities immediately.
No injuries or sickness were reported in the Maine case. Michigan officials focused on the connection to other suspicious mailings in the state.
Investigations are active in both locations, and authorities are coordinating with federal partners in Michigan.
These back to back incidents in different states underscore ongoing concerns about mail based threats to political offices and remain subject to further official findings as investigations proceed.
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