Michigan joining lawsuit against US Postal Service
(FOX 2) - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Michigan is joining in a lawsuit that will be filed against the federal government over recent unlawful changes to the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) operations while preparing for the potential impacts those changes could have on the country's November general election.
The lawsuit, which is led by the State of Washington and includes 13 states, will be filed Tuesday. The State of Pennsylvania is leading a similar lawsuit.
According to a press release, the lawsuit Michigan joins will argue that the changes proposed and already implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in the short time he has been there are both procedurally and substantively unlawful and threaten the timely delivery of mail to individuals who rely on the USPS for everything from medical prescriptions to ballots.
Under federal law, changes to USPS operations that affect nationwide mail service must be submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission and the public must be provided an opportunity to comment.
"General DeJoy never engaged in that process here," the lawsuit states. "As a matter of substance, these changes will have a wide range of negative consequences that violate a diverse array of federal laws, from harming individuals with disabilities in violation of the Rehabilitation Act to disenfranchising voters in violation of the Constitution."
Nessel's press release said the decision has the full support of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
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"Recent actions taken by Mr. DeJoy are unlawful and indicate an attempt to disrupt and delay U.S. Postal Service operations," Nessel said. "For more than 200 years, the postal service has been a fundamental part of the fabric of this country. People and businesses rely on it to deliver critical medications, correspondence and goods. We filed this lawsuit on behalf of the people of this state to ensure they can continue to depend on a system that is an integral part of our daily lives, our economic well-being and our democratic process."
The lawsuit was announced shortly after DeJoy said the USPS will suspend some operational changes until after the November election.
DeJoy said in a statement Tuesday that USPS won’t remove mail processing equipment or blue collection boxes, nor will mail processing facilities close.