nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com

The postmaster general, David Steiner, said on Wednesday that under a proposed rule, his agency would not deliver mail ballots in states that decline to hand over voter data.

  • Jaysyn@lemmy.world
    17·
    1 day ago

    This is interfering with state elections and that is a crime.

    State legislatures should elevate this crime to a felony w/ a 10 year minimum sentence.

  • Em Adespoton@lemmy.ca
    70·
    2 days ago

    Wouldn’t that put the Postmaster General in contempt of Congress?

    It’s a congressional mandate; the Federal executive can’t modify the mandate at their whim.

    • daannii@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      2 days ago

      Who wants to bet trump says he’s going to cut funding unless they comply? His whole play book is extortion.

        • daannii@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          21 hours ago

          Well. Sure but he’s done it. Been doing it. And even when ordered to release funds by courts he’s not been following orders on deadlines.

    • ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      1 day ago

      If you’re interested, this is the recent letter the Senate sent to this guy, outlining exactly how unconstitutional it is. It’s a very good read, you don’t have to be a lawyer to understand it, and it’s and not too long:

      https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/260623_USPS_Absentee_EO_Letter.pdf

      And before the “strongly worded letter” crowd jumps on, pre-litigation letters are part of how the Senate conducts business. They’re NOT writing this because they think a strongly worded letter will help this hopped-up Trump toadie to find his lost love for democracy, they’re writing it in the form of a brief to create the paper trail and set the stage for the individual states to sue the USPS, because constitutionally in the United States the states control elections, not the federal government. The orange chancre is literally trying to override the Constitution with an executive order (again).

      The USPS is part of the executive, the Senate is part of the legislative, and the battle between will be in the judicial: because the underlying issue is an election, powers already clearly assigned by the Constitution, much of this particular battle against extreme federal overreach will likely fall to the states to fight in court, or not.

  • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
    32·
    2 days ago

    We need a judicial injunction post-haste against any interference in ballot deliveries, and to compel the USPS to deliver ballots despite any bullshit investigation by the executive.

  • Bustedknuckles@lemmy.world
    16·
    2 days ago

    Thanks for the guest link. Man, I used to love the USPS. How is this plan supposed to work in states that have all-mail elections?

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOP
      19·
      2 days ago

      It’s supposed to prevent them from holding elections so they have no representation in Congress

    • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      13·
      2 days ago

      I wouldn’t expect the rule to be followed everywhere. Postal workers in an all mail state might just ignore it as nonsensical. Some workers in other states might as well, but this gives MAGA workers the green light to meddle. And if a bunch of votes get blocked/destroyed that introduces uncertainty in the result that can be capitalized on by incumbent fascists.

    • SmoothLiquidation@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      2 days ago

      I know that in King county, Washington, you can print your own ballot, fill it out, and deliver it to a ballot drop box. This is still bullshit because there will be a huge number of people who can’t do that or won’t know they need to.

  • BigMacHole@thelemmy.club
    44·
    2 days ago

    DONT worry! Our Congressional Leaders and Judicial Leaders will NOT let them Throw away our Ballots! BOTH Branches are EXTREMELY Competent and Good at Protecting Americans! The Constitution! Rich People!