Coons exposes dismantled postal equipment in New Castle

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons made a surprise visit to the New Castle U.S. Postal Service facility Aug. 19, where he found dismantled mail processing machinery left outside in the rain.

"Right behind me is a sophisticated barcode sorter; this is the sort of automated mail-handling equipment that U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has had removed," Coons said in a video message released Aug. 20. "This was just removed from this facility Sunday night and put outside, so it's been here for days in the rain. I think it's important that the postmaster general has said he is going to put the brakes on any further changes to service delivery standards to the equipment or handling of mail, but this is physical proof that reversing those changes is going to be expensive and difficult, because this equipment isn't serviceable again. So, I'm going to demand in the United States Senate that we get a firm and written commitment from the postmaster general that he will reverse the changes he's made to the delivery standards for our mail. Two thousand Delawareans have reached out to me to express their concerns about late delivery of medications, late delivery of Social Security checks, and late delivery of mail. The mail isn't a business; it's a treasured service and a critical part of our nation, and with an election coming up soon, this fall, we cannot afford to put at risk the delivery of every mail-in ballot."

On Aug. 17, Coons said his staff reached out to the USPS Southern New Jersey District to make it known that several USPS workers in New Castle had invited Coons to come to the facility to witness the late-night dismantling and removal of various types of letter-handling machinery at Quigley Boulevard.

"We would like to invite you to visit our facility to see for yourself what is happening here in Delaware," said a USPS employee who asked to remain anonymous. "By coming to visit, you will see how the Postal Service is being destroyed from the inside out. The major problem is the amount of working mail processing machines that are being dismantled and set out in the rain as trash."

The employee further wrote, "There have also been delays in the mail since Postmaster General DeJoy has given the order of 'no late trucks.' If the mail is not processed in enough time for dispatch, then the mail is held until the next delivery day. This is causing delays in the mail being delivered to our customers."

Coons said a district liaison told him that a next-day visit would not be possible. 

"Thank you for sharing the invitation," the liaison's email stated. "Unfortunately, this invitation is outside of the official process. The district would be happy to work with the Senator's office to schedule a visit at a later date. The request will have to go through our official process."

In response, an unnamed postal employee texted one of Coons’ staff members, saying, "I am sure your request was shot down because of the amount of mail delayed in the building. They don't have time to prepare and clean it up with such short notice."

Following this exchange, a Senate staffer asked the district liaison whether it was feasible for the senator "just to quickly peek on the sorting room floor" since a full visit was not possible.

"The Senator's office is not on the schedule of visitors today and will be unable to tour the facility," replied the district liaison. "If you provide some dates and times that work for the senator, I will share with the district leadership and get back to you." The liaison clarified that USPS employees "cannot extend an invitation to the senator's office to visit a postal facility. This has to be arranged by management."

A USPS employee later told Senate staffers about an abrupt shift in activity at the New Castle location. "Management is attempting to clean up the building," said the employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "They have told our maintenance people to rush to remove the remaining machines that they are taking apart. Telling them to tape up the floor where the broken tiles are exposing possible asbestos."

In a press conference Aug. 19, Coons, Sen. Tom Carper, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings announced a lawsuit against the USPS, citing widespread delays in mail deliveries, President Donald Trump's intent to use the postal service to suppress the vote, and reports of deliberate disruptions in daily postal operations amid a global pandemic.

Blunt Rochester reported that the House of Representatives would return to Washington to vote on a Delivering for America Act, which would prohibit the USPS from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on Jan. 1, 2020.

Coons and Carper have requested that USPS fix delays and avoid cost increases for election mail. The senators joined another letter that broadens the call for oversight on the issue of interruptions amid changes made by the recently appointed postmaster general.