Washington State federal judge issues nationwide injunction blocking Postmaster General’s unlawful policies delaying mail

Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171

Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced that a federal judge today granted a nationwide injunction forcing the U.S. Postal Service to immediately halt drastic operational changes. In mid-August, Attorney General Donovan joined a coalition of 14 state attorneys general in suing to protect the U.S. Postal Service. The case, State of Washington, et al. v. Trump, et al., is pending in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington at Yakima.

“We need our Postal Service to be fully operational for the General Election,” said Attorney General Donovan. “I am pleased with the Court’s ruling. The stakes in this case are too high.”

In their motion for a preliminary injunction, Attorney General Donovan and the coalition asked the judge to order the Postal Service to:

• Immediately stop its “leave mail behind” policy, where postal trucks are required to leave at specified times, regardless if there is mail still to be loaded;
• Continue its longstanding practice of treating all election mail as First Class mail, regardless of the paid postage;
• Replace, reassemble or reconnect any removed mail-sorting machines that are needed to ensure timely processing and delivery of election mail; and
• Abide by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s public commitment to suspend the recent policy changes that have affected mail service until after the election.

Judge Stanley A. Bastian ruled from the bench. Judge Bastian is expected to issue a detailed written order later today.

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

Last modified: September 17, 2020