Racist letter delivered to Congressional candidate prompts police response in Spokane Valley

A handwritten letter containing an ethnic slur against Mexican Americans, a swastika and apparent blood smears has been reported to the authorities by recipient Ann Marie Danimus, a congressional candidate in the 2022 election.

Danimus received the letter, a copy of which was shared with The Spokesman-Review and is now in police custody, through a mail slot on the front door of her campaign office off Argonne Road on Wednesday. She called police and the FBI, but said she does not feel like a victim.

“It seems like more of a cry for help,” Danimus said.

The letter was written on notebook paper and its author identified themselves as “the secreate presidente of U.S.A. america Donald J. Trump Jr.”

It references payment for killing people using a slur for Mexican Americans and hiring someone to help “cook crack at the White House.” Danimus is not a Mexican American.

Cpl. Mark Gregory, spokesman for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, said the agency is investigating.

Danimus, who finished third in the August primary for Eastern Washington’s seat in Congress, said she reported the letter to Spokane Valley police on Wednesday as well as the FBI, who classified the investigation to her as a hate crime. Danimus said her office had signs earlier this year indicating she was a candidate for Congress and the letter writer may have been confused.

“I feel like it would be a pretty random thing to just pick my door,” Danimus said. “I do think it was purposeful that he came to a candidate.”