Suspicious letter delivered to Leahy’s Vt. office

BURLINGTON — Police say a suspicious letter delivered to a Vermont office of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy appears to be related to a series of other suspicious packages sent to the Washington and home offices of other members of Congress.

A hazardous materials team, bomb squad and police removed the letter from Leahy’s Burlington office on Thursday afternoon.

Police say field tests show that the substance in the letter is believed to be benign.

Police said letters mailed to several congressional offices and media outlets warned that those who opened them had “a 10 percent chance” of being exposed “to a lethal pathogen.”

Fewer than 10 members of Congress received the other letters, which contained a suspicious, but harmless powdery substance.