CT To Legally Challenge Recent Postal Service Changes

CONNECTICUT — Attorney General William Tong announced that Connecticut is joining a multistate coalition that will file a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging recent operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that he claims "threaten critical mail delivery ahead of the November election."

"We will not allow Donald Trump to steal the election by sabotaging the United States Postal Service. He cannot unilaterally impose onerous and arbitrary new conditions on the postal service to suit his political needs," Tong said in a news release. "Medicine is not being delivered on time to sick seniors. Child support payments are arriving late to financially insecure mothers. Small businesses are getting paid late and cannot deliver their products on time."

The states in the suit assert that the Postal Service acted outside of its authority to implement changes to the postal system, and did not follow the proper procedures required by federal law.

The lawsuit seeks to block the alleged cuts and operational changes at the Postal Service. The Postal Service said it has stopped removing mailboxes and mail-sorting machines amid the outcry from lawmakers. President Donald Trump denied he was asking for the mail to be delayed.

After a night of criticism by speakers at the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he will suspend recent policies implemented that would slow the delivery of mail — and raised the prospect that millions of ballots in the November election would never be counted.

According to a statement released Tuesday by DeJoy, he plans to expand a task force on election mail and expects the Postal Service to deliver "election mail on time and within our well-established service standards."

"I applaud Attorney General Tong for joining this critical multistate and taking action today to not only protect the health of our state's citizens but our democracy, as well," Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday. "During this pandemic, no one should be forced to choose between their health and their right to vote. Leading with public health and the welfare of residents, I granted additional access to the ballot via executive order – access that depends on the hardworking members of our U.S. Postal Service."

The states' lawsuit, led by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, will assert that the Postal Service implemented changes to the mail service nationwide unlawfully, and seeks to immediately halt the agency’s actions.

Washington and Connecticut are joined by Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

"This issue goes beyond democracy and hits at the root of fairness and equity," Lamont said. "Not everyone can make it to a municipal drop box to ensure their vote counts, but with the help of the postal service we can ensure every voter can has the ability to safely have their vote counted and voice heard."

DeJoy will testify Monday before Congress, along with the chairman of the Postal Service board of governors.

Tong said his office has heard from residents across the state already reporting delayed absentee ballots, prescriptions, rent checks, child support, disability and worker's compensation payments.