The U.S. Postal Service settled a lawsuit with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Wednesday and agreed to reverse recent controversial changes imposed under new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, marking the eighth court ruling in a row that has come out against the USPS and their recent changes ahead of the election.
The USPS is taking steps to reverse its changes in response to the rulings, though it has objected to certain aspects of some injunctions—noting, for instance, that it can’t reinstall some sorting machines because they have been dismantled and stripped for parts.
A court in Pennsylvania did clarify its order in response to some of USPS’s objections, and the Washington Post reported in September that the agency was negotiating with state attorneys general to reach a final settlement directing exactly how the agency’s changes will be reversed.
Despite all the measures the USPS is already taking to respond to the lawsuit, some critics have urged even greater safeguards to ensure USPS complies with the rulings, with Shapiro calling for the judge in the Pennsylvania case to appoint an independent monitor to observe the USPS’s changes and ensure they are properly following the court’s injunction. The court has yet to rule on whether a third-party monitor is necessary, and the USPS has objected to a monitor being appointed.