Postal service backs down on changes as at least 20 states sue



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DeJoy said some of the postponed decisions mean retail hours at post offices will not change, mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain in place, and no mail processing facilities. mail will not be closed.

At least 20 Democratic attorneys general across the country are launching multi-pronged legal effort to push back recent changes that have disrupted mail delivery across the country and sparked accusations that Trump and his appointees were trying to undermine the vote by mail.

Democratic attorneys general plan to argue that DeJoy illegally modifies mail procedures ahead of the 2020 election as the Post braces for an unusually high number of ballots in the mail as voters seek to avoid voting in the post office. polling centers where they could potentially contract the coronavirus.

DeJoy “acted outside his authority to implement changes in the postal system and did not follow proper procedures under federal law,” according to a statement from Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

The USPS and DeJoy argued that the changes are intended to improve the agency’s dire financial situation. DeJoy also dismisses accusations that he made these changes at Trump’s request.

At least two lawsuits are underway on Tuesday. One, led by Washington State, will be joined by Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Another group of state Democratic attorneys general filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Pennsylvania. These states include California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maine, and North Carolina.

The Postal Service is also coming under close scrutiny from Congressional Democrats, who announced earlier this week that they are stepping up their investigation into what they call “recent, sweeping and dangerous operational changes to the Postal Service that slow down mail and jeopardize the integrity of the election. “

DeJoy is expected to testify before a Senate committee on Friday and before the House Oversight Committee next week.
Postmaster General to Testify in Senate on Friday

Trump and other Republicans have spoken out against postal voting, baselessly claiming it will lead to electoral fraud, with the president saying last week he opposed much-needed funding for the United States Postal Service because it ‘he didn’t want to see it was used for the postal ballot in November.

There is no widespread voter fraud in U.S. elections, and non-partisan experts say neither party automatically profits when states expand access to postal voting.

This story has been updated.

CNN’s Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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