SEATTLE — A U.S. judge on Thursday blocked controversial Postal Service changes that have slowed mail nationwide.
The judge called them “a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service” before the November election. Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Washington, said he was issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction sought by 14 states that sued the Trump administration and the U.S. Postal Service.
The states challenged the Postal Service’s so-called “leave mail behind” policy, where trucks have been leaving postal facilities on time regardless of whether there is more mail to load. They also sought to force the Postal Service to treat election mail as First Class mail.
Connecticut is part of the multistate lawsuit by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong released on the decision.
“This decision could not have been more clear—the Trump administration is engaged in a politically-motivated attack on the U.S. Postal Service in order to delegitimize and disrupt the November election. This nationwide injunction is a significant victory, but this fight is far from over. We will continue to vigorously defend the rule of law and our postal service operations. Americans can vote with confidence this November, and trust that we are doing everything it takes to ensure each and every ballot is counted,” said Attorney General Tong.
Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin, are also part of the multistate lawsuit.