UPDATE: Hurt receives white powder in mail

CHATHAM — The U.S. Postal Service is investigating white powder found in a suspicious envelope that Republican congressional candidate Robert Hurt received at his Main Street office in Chatham Friday, according to law enforcement officials.

Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor said Hurt opened an envelope that contained “suspicious material” at about 11 a.m. Friday. Hurt’s campaign manager, Sean Harrison, confirmed the substance was a white powder.

Chatham Town Police, the sheriff’s office, Virginia State Police, hazardous materials teams, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Services and the U.S. Postal Service criminal investigators responded to the incident. The U.S. Postal Service will be the lead investigator on the case, Taylor said.

Investigators took samples of the substance to Richmond to be tested. Taylor said they would have results in two to three days.

“It is a criminal offense to mail a suspicious material,” Taylor said, “even if it is nontoxic ... It did give rise to concern. Unfortunately in today’s society, you can’t take any chances with these things.”

Taylor said there were no injuries, but said that the envelope “made its way to Sen. Hurt.”

Harrison, along with other staff, stood outside in the alley behind Hurt’s office early Friday evening talking to law enforcement officials. By then, Hurt was at home with his family, Harrison said.

“Robert’s first concern is for the safety of his staff and the workers who may have handled this mail at the post office,” Harrison said later Friday evening in a statement. “He greatly appreciates the professionalism of law enforcement, the Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the haz-mat team and everyone who responded to help in this matter.”

Hurt will face Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5^th District, in November.

In March, a tea party member posted Perriello’s brother’s Charlottesville address online and the following day a gas line to an outdoor grill was cut at the house. Albemarle County officials deemed the incident “a deliberate act of vandalism” that “could have posed a danger.”

Perriello issued the following statement Saturday afternoon:

"Violence and intimidation have no place in our politics, ever," Perriello said in a statement. "If this was meant to be a threat, and particularly if it was in any way politically motivated, I hope the cowards behind this will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

"Nothing undermines democracy like trying to replace political arguments with threats or violence. My thoughts are with Mr. Hurt and his staff during this scary time, and my thanks once again are with law enforcement officials for their rapid and professional response."