Hazardous materials crews responded to a suspicious envelope that was sent to a congressional office of former Rep. Katie Hill.
Staffers in her California office said they became itchy a couple hours after the envelope was opened on Monday, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities said the envelope contained a white powder, but the substance was tested and later determined to be non-hazardous.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said a number of people were exposed to the powder.
The entire building was evacuated, but the area was determined to be safe by Monday afternoon.
It’s unclear if the envelope was addressed to Hill, who resigned from Congress last month amid revelations that she had a relationship with a female campaign staffer and allegations that she also had an affair with a male congressional aide.
Hill, 32, was elected to Congress in 2018. A nude photograph surfaced in October of the freshman congresswoman brushing the campaign staffer’s hair. Additional explicit photos were later published and showed the naked congresswoman holding a bong.
Hill, who blames her “abusive” estranged husband, Kenny Heslep, of “driving a smear campaign” against her, admitted to having a relationship with the campaign staffer but denied the alleged affair with her legislative director, Graham Kelly. The alleged affair with Kelly prompted the House Ethics Committee to open an investigation into the matter as the House bans members from having sexual relationships with their staffers.
