Carolyn Cosby Accused of Violating Postal Service Rules -- Again

For the third time in two years, Carolyn Cosby is facing allegations that she is failing to follow United States Postal Service regulations.

Campaign fliers that advertised a meet-and-greet with Cosby — the independent candidate for the Cherokee County Commission chair race — and another outlining her positions and why she’s running for the seat appeared this week on the mailboxes of several residents in the Macedonia community east of Canton.

Placing items inside or on mailboxes violates Section 1725 of Title 18 of the United States Code.

Michael Miles, a spokesperson with USPS, said his office has been made aware of the situation involving the fliers, and he’s notified the United States Postal Inspection Service to investigate the issue.

“It is a violation of postal regulations to place items on or in a mailbox to avoid paying postage and individual(s) can be charged postage for the items and face possible fines if they persist,” he stated.

When reached on Thursday, Cosby said her volunteers went door to door to hand out fliers. She noted the volunteers were directed to put the fliers on the doors. However, she stated there may have been a few volunteers who placed fliers on mailboxes.

It’s not Cosby’s first run-in with rule violations with USPS. In 2012, Citizens Review and Recommendations Committee to Assist County Government — a spearheaded by Cosby — circulated campaign fliers on Hickory Flat mailboxes against then-incumbent District 2 Commissioner Jim Hubbard.

That action was deemed to be illegal by USPS, and Cosby said at the time she and her organization would comply with the federal rules. Earlier this year, Cosby was asked to leave the post office in Canton because she violated postal service rules by asking residents to sign her petition on USPS property.

On Thursday, Cosby said that while she knows placing fliers on mailboxes violates USPS regulations, she said every campaign “does it.”

“We are not here to violate laws,” she added. “We are going door too door, and we are not putting things on mailboxes.”

Resident Paula Pelusi said she received two fliers, which she said must have been placed on her mailbox Wednesday evening because they were not there when she checked her mailbox during the afternoon hours.

Pelusi, who lives on Oak Haven Drive east of Canton, said she believes the fliers “should have been mailed.”

She added when she began working with her local PTA organization, they were informed that they were not allowed to place items on or inside mailboxes.

“If she wants to be elected, she should follow the rules like everyone else,” she added.

(Photo: a photo submitted by a resident that shows a pro-Carolyn Cosby flier placed on a mailbox, a violation of USPS rules)