The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is struggling financially and is epically inept. But the agency is still quite capable of causing trouble for vulnerable Americans. From digital snooping on protestors to warrantless inspections of political merch to law enforcement mission creep, the USPS needs a lesson in accountability. The problem is that the agency thinks it is above the law and cannot be held to answer for its actions. The Supreme Court has a historic opportunity to change this sorry status quo and give Americans their day in court. It’s time for the USPS to face some long-overdue accountability before the bench.
Texas landlord Lebene Konan found out about the USPS’ aversion to accountability the hard way. Konan — who is black and rents to white tenants — was allegedly the victim of a years’ long harassment campaign by two local postal employees who weren’t fond of interracial renting. As her legal team notes, “[t]he harassment campaign started when Rojas, the local mail carrier, changed the designated owner of one of Ms. Konan’s properties to one of her white tenants. … When Ms. Konan complained to the local post office, the USPS Inspector General ‘confirmed that [she] owned the property’ and ordered ‘that mail be delivered.’” But the local postmaster overrode that directive, and things only escalated from there. The local post office marked her mail “undeliverable,” refused to deliver to her, and gave her a hard time when she came in to pick up her mail. This despicable course of conduct not only cost Ms. Konan rental income but also prevented her from accessing critical mail such as medications and doctor’s bills.
