BRAND NEW mail sorting machine was dismantled Friday & thrown in a dumpster in Grand Junction, CO

[fleur-de-lisa]

Nick Knudsen @DemWrite

"It took 2 months to set up & they were just about to do a test run when the postmaster general ordered us to take it out."

A BRAND NEW mail sorting machine was dismantled Friday & thrown in a dumpster in Grand Junction, CO on DeJoy's order.

Link to tweet

New mail sorting machine at Grand Junction USPS annex thrown out

https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/local-news/new-mail-sorting-machine-at-grand-junction-usps-thrown-out/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — A KREX 5/Fox 4 viewer noticed something interesting being thrown out at a local United States Postal Service Distribution Center Friday. That viewer says she went to the USPS sorting annex on Patterson Road and Burkey Street Monday morning when she noticed a red dumpster by the loading docks. When that person asked the clerk what was being thrown out, the clerk said its a brand new mail sorting machine.

The clerk added, “it took two months to set up and they were just about to do a test run when the postmaster general ordered us to take it out, now we’re sorting by hand. No wonder they say we’re losing money when they throw out expensive machines like that.”

We spoke with a postal manager at the Downtown Grand Junction office, who said he couldn’t comment on the matter. We also reached out to the agency’s Denver branch, but have not heard back.

[enough]

1. Has anyone explained an official reason for dismantling these machines? NT

[soothsayer]

4. No, dejoy doesn't know, hasn't asked

Far as I can tell

[AllaN01Bear]

63. i would beleive that he is lying like the other so and sos .

[2naSalit]

81. I am certain your are right about that. ...nt

[StClone]

88. DeJoy is scheduled for dismantling.

It is without a doubt a crime what is going on.

[fleur-de-lisa]

7. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said they were unnecessary.

I can't wrap my head around that outrageous lie. Someone on DU posted a video of a postal sorting machine a few days ago and there is no way humans can sort mail as fast as a machine.

[Beartracks]

59. I heard the notion that they weren't used as much, and they needed the floorspace to store packages.

... since they handle more packages than the sortable flat mail nowadays. Pretty stupid, as it seems obvious to me (not an expert) that the investment in the machinery and the time saved on the flat mail that you *do* process would be of much greater value to the organization than a bit more elbow room for pushing boxes around.

===========

[soothsayer]

64. Yep. USPS has a weird relationship to packages

They tried to get out of packages entirely at some point, but they’re back in with a gusto!

Also strange relationships with “competitors,” taking fedex and ups the “last mile” sometimes.

They also invented email as a service! But too early. Think it was called ecom.

[Beartracks]

98. USPS is service-oriented. Hm - hadn't heard about ecom before.

[soothsayer]

99. Here you go

https://fedtechmagazine.com/article/2013/09/postal-services-30-year-relationship-email

Early 80s.

[fleur-de-lisa]

8. See this video of a sorting machine:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213955436

[tclambert]

78. This new one was sorting so fast, they were delivering letters that hadn't been written yet.

(That's a Terry Pratchett joke.)

[stage left]

97. Going Postal

Terry Pratchett could see into the future.

[notinkansas]

86. Any possible excuse is garbage.

This is deliberate destruction of government property. It is criminal. It should be prosecuted.

[olegramps]

101. If Biden wins the election, he must prosecute those responsible for these outrageous actions.

[soothsayer]

2. Drag dejoy out of there

I can’t stand this

[Illumination]

17. OMG Yes!

[barbtries]

53. me either.

i feel like i can't take another ounce of frustration, i might stroke out.

call your lawmakers. write, call, write, call. it's too fucked up for words.

[smirkymonkey]

85. Neither can I.

I literally feel like I am going to get sick. I don't understand what has happened to this country and how they can possibly be getting away with this.

I also don't understand why he can't be arrested. It doesn't matter if he is only "following orders". He is breaking the law and there is no doubt about it. He needs to be hauled in and dealt with harshly.

Visions of Mussolini and the Ceausescus are dancing in my head. They can only push so far before the floodgates open.

[Botany]

3. Now who gave the order to do this?

Fascist bastards. Trying to kill the post office in order to steal the election.

[fleur-de-lisa]

9. The article says it was the Postmaster General

Louis DeJoy.

[Botany]

16. But that mother fucker said just yesterday that he had no idea who was giving these orders.

Christ on cracker they are crooked.

[PatSeg]

24. Well then

I guess it must have been another Louis DeJoy at the Postal Service.

He was under oath, but apparently he doesn't care.

[Botany]

28. "They" are working to destroy the USPS in order to rig the election.

Call his ass back in front of Katie Porter and show him the picture and ask how this happened.
And then charge him with perjury and clean out the jail cell in the capital basement
and drag his ass there.

We need to prosecute these unAmerican mother fuckers.

BTW "they" are fucking with my mail in Columbus, OH big time right now. I wonder if Trump
and Company* have a d-base of the names and addresses of registered dems and are using
the USPS to "get after them."


* Vlad Daddy

[PatSeg]

29. I don't think it is just the election

I think it is both an attempt to rig the election AND to dismantle the Postal Service and let private companies take over. Hey, kill two birds with one stone.

Yes, he needs to be charged with perjury. Clearly he either ordered the dismantling of the sorting machines or he knows who gave the order. Maybe HE ordered someone to order it, but whatever, he lied. And he's not a very good liar at that.

[Botany]

32. I couldn't stomach watching DeJoy for more than a few minutes ... smiling and laughing as he was ...

.... lying his ass off.

We are seeing an out push by Trump to become a dictator and to give the country over
to the really rich.

BTW in a clean election Trump might lose just about every state. I am working in a very
Republican part of town (Upper Arlington, OH) and the # of Biden signs is huge and in
GOP yards I see a simple black sign with yellow gold letters spelling out enough,

[PatSeg]

41. Oh yes, I agree

If there was no voter suppression or election interference, I think it would be an unprecedented landslide. That is reassuring that you are seeing so many Biden signs where you work, another hopeful sign.

My daughter said that DeJoy looked and sounded like a mob boss during the hearings, not a Postmaster General. He was insolent and dismissive. I am not sure he realizes how serious this is.

[Botany]

43. DeJoy reminded me of Bill Barr

Above the law and not giving one shit if his actions hurt the American people.

[PatSeg]

46. Another person

who apparently hasn't suffered the consequences of his many misdeeds and as such, thinks no one can touch him.

[Botany]

54. Barr, DeJoy, and Dick Cheney have all gotten rich off of being pricks. And they like it when ...

... people get angry with them.

[Scarsdale]

55. He is rich. Make him pay for these

machines. Taxpayer money was spent purchasing them, someone needs to pay for that. All actions ordered by him and his peons needs to be STOPPED. Fire the s.o.b. get the old crew back in office.

[notinkansas]

87. You are right.

Make him pay personally for every one of those machines.

[PatSeg]

65. And this is what happens when

we let such people off with a slap on the wrist. No one was held accountable for the crimes of the Bush administration, thus encouraging others to do as they please. Why worry about ethics or laws? Its not like you're going to go to jail or anything. Hey, you can write a book, go on the lecture circuit, or get a gig on Fox News, while demonizing minorities as habitual criminals and drug users who should be thrown in jail for the maximum sentence.

It is ugly and its evil.

[calimary]

96. THIS. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!!!!

He's not used to having to explain himself, having to answer questions, being held accountable to people he clearly thinks are inferior to him and have no right to challenge what he's doing. See, we don't understand. HE'S the CEO. HE doesn't answer questions. HE gives orders. And YOU carry them out without questioning. Period. Got it?

[2naSalit]

82. That's it...

The election thing was an afterthought when they realized that voting by mail would be well received by most.

[PatSeg]

83. Yes, that's the way I see it

I think the dismantling of the Postal Service plan predated any mail-in ballots issue. How convenient that they could destroy the Postal Service AND interfere with the election at the same time.

[2naSalit]

84. Indeed. ...nt

[RVN VET71]

45. He's either responsible or irresponsible.

Either way, any intelligent businessman would have fired this stooge if he'd done to a private corporation what he is either doing or -- worse!! -- allowing to be done to the USPS on his watch.

I couldn't watch his full testimony because he sickens me, but I sincerely hope he has perjured himself and is called to account for it if Biden's victory over Trump is able to stand. (Yes, I said "if" -- I'm growing more and more concerned about what Trump and Miller will do in the aftermath of what is sure to be an election debacle for Trump and the party formerly known as Republican.)

[zaj]

5. Isn't it a crime to throw away (rather than store for auction) assets like that?

[0rganism]

10. probably -- wouldn't be sufficiently Trumpy without a crime sprinkled in there somewhere

of course, that crime will not be investigated or prosecuted.

[TheBlackAdder]

37. Shit like that should go up for aution at the GSA website.

[LittleWoman]

38. Yes

It is my understanding that there are very specific regulations about getting rid of government equipment that is no longer in use. They do not include just throwing it out. My son has purchased items from government auctions for several years and this does not seem legal in any way.

[jalan48]

6. We cannot take what these fuckwads say at face value, ever.

[global1]

11. I Want To Know Where The Money Is Coming From To First - Buy These Machines And Then....

who has the authority to dismantle and destroy these machines?

Is this taxpayer money? Can somebody order the destruction of government property without getting proper permission from Congress?

The way to destroy a business is to put a person in charge that had to compete with that business. That person understands the strengths and can turn them into weaknesses to make it inefficient. DeJoy is the perfect destroyer of USPS.

Somehow this has to be stopped.

I don't know how we can just sit back and watch in real time the destruction of the USPS.

[Pepsidog]

57. Why would this order be obeyed? I would drop a dime to every paper and news station around.

[lostnfound]

12. Who the hell is the postal manager in Grand Junction and why can't he comment??

Get these people in front of congress, every one of them, and find out the TRUTH.

Damn AUTOCRATS, DESPOTS, TYRANTS.

[fleur-de-lisa]

15. Read a few days ago that DeJoy ordered postal workers not to talk to media. Here is the phone #:

GRAND JUNCTION POST OFFICE:

241 N 4th St, Grand Junction, CO 81501

[phone] or [phone]

[WyattKansas]

105. How does DeJoy have the power to classify the destruction of USPS property as Top Secret?

That order alone should make everyone know that the slimy bastard should have a microscope shoved up his ass.

[Maraya1969]

13. How much do these machines cost? The post office is losing money and so they are throwing

away machines?

This is despicable. He needs to be thrown out.

[fleur-de-lisa]

14. Louis DeJoy was being questioned by the Senate Homeland Security Committee

on Friday 8-21-20, the same day this brand new machine was being dismantled and tossed in a dumpster.

https://kttc.com/2020/08/21/watch-live-postmaster-general-louis-dejoy-testifies-at-senate-hearing-8-a-m/

[thesquanderer]

18. Article has been updated/corrected...

The link currently says:

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — **UPDATE** According to a USPS spokesperson in Denver, the machine in the dumpster was an older machine, in need of repair that USPS Denver received from Seattle. The Denver USPS facility could not get the machine to work and that’s why it was thrown out. We originally reported what the USPS Postal Annex employee of Grand Junction said about the machine, but the spokesperson corrected that statement.

Now I guess we could use some independent verification...

[4139]

19. But **UPDATE** .... it was an old machine they couldn't get it to work

**UPDATE** According to a USPS spokesperson in Denver, the machine in the dumpster was an older machine, in need of repair that USPS Denver received from Seattle. The Denver USPS facility could not get the machine to work and that’s why it was thrown out.
https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/local-news/new-mail-sorting-machine-at-grand-junction-usps-thrown-out/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

[Elwood P Dowd]

31. Amazing how fast those machines age, isn't it?

Hundreds of them magically "age" at the same time to the point of being useless.

[Botany]

44. Funny how the machines stop working when you take 'em apart and put 'em in a dumpster.

[yardwork]

50. I don't believe the USPS spokesperson. I think this is a lie.

[Ferrets are Cool]

67. Until I see proof, I am with you.

[ecstatic]

90. Are people still believing the lies? Seriously, look

at who we're dealing with. At some point it needs to sink in that everything they say is a f****** lie. Everything! The sooner we can all arrive at that understanding, the better.

[Scruffy1]

92. To get the facts you have to ask a mail processing equipment mechanic or electronic technician.

Clerks do not operate postal machinery. This requires a mechanic MPE or an ET. I'm really sick of these reporters who can't do simple homework. It's quite possibly an old and unwanted machine. I have helped scrap obsolete mail sorters and other things.

[dansolo]

100. I would trust the comments of the workers over a spokesperson

The first report said that they were just about to do a test run, and the later report said that they couldn't get it to work. That seems contradictory to me. Even if the first person was just a clerk, they would be aware of whether the sorter was operational, which the first report suggests it was. I don't trust any statements by official spokespeople without actual proof.

[dhill926]

21. fascism on the march....

we're gonna have to win by 10 million votes and by 100 (if not more), in the electoral college...

[Blue Owl]

22. Fuck Louis DeJoy or whatever the fuck his name is

I don't care if the machine was functioning or not -- Fuck DeJoy

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

23. Makes me wonder if DeJoy

owns a company that MAKES postal sorting machines...……...

[IronLionZion]

25. This is just Republican efficiency at it's finest

to help save taxpayer money

[Lonestarblue]

26. We need a Commission on Government Accountability after January 2021.

The Senate will do nothing now, nor with Trup and his personal attorney, AG Barr.

We need some teeth in accountability laws. Congressional oversight committees need a way to deal with someone like DeJoy. Perhaps they have legal recourse already, but if so why aren’t they using it? DeJoy needs to be removed and the USPS restored to its functionality.

[Evolve Dammit]

27. Evil fascist bastards. All of them. Period.

[ananda]

30. So once again: when is enough enough?

???

[onetexan]

33. someone forward this to the CO AG & Sec of State ASAP!!

We need to take to the streets to get this SoB out & thrown in jail now!!

[kacekwl]

34. Is this source going to testify

under oath to the House and Senate communities ? Will they be able to prove Dejoy gave the (code red) order ?

[sakabatou]

35. DeJoy is screwing the whole nation

[BSdetect]

36. This is like Nazis burning books. Unbelievably corrupt.

[procon]

39. Fraud. Waste and Abuse.

The federal government has harsh penalties for those who willfully destroy government property. There are rigid procedures for decommissioning equipment, and in most cases the government tries to recoup their losses through public auction, sale yards, bulk salvage, etc., where brokers will buy bulk lots for resale.

In general, most govt property isn't simply tossed in the trash like this.

[crickets]

48. This. When is someone going to charge this man?

He is willfully destroying national infrastructure and has brazenly lied to Congress about it on more than one occasion. There is no reasonable explanation why he still walks free.

[world wide wally]

40. That's MY fucking mail sorter, asshole.

I am a taxpayer in both Colorado and the USA and I DEMAND reimbursement for MY machine!

[turbinetree]

42. Okay bring the Grand Junction manager into a Congressional house hearing and ask

him who gave the order........its that fucking simple................and any other yahoo that is playing with this crap..................

[Hela]

47. Destruction of federal property

How is this not an arrestable offense? If I showed up with a baseball bat and started pounding on one of these machines, you can bet I'd be hauled off in cuffs pretty damn fast.

God, I'd like to see just one of these Republican criminals perp walked.

[crickets]

49. 👆👆👆

[Native]

51. Arrest the mother fucker NOW!

[Celerity]

95. +1000

[DFW]

52. And all this to help Gardener against Hickenlooper in the Senate race

This is tantamount to war crimes, and I hope the penalties will be as severe.

It also helps with a perjury charge against DeJoy who said that no more sorting machines would be dismantled or throw out.

[jmowreader]

56. There is a solution

Require Trump and DeJoy to pay out of their personal funds the full cost of restoring the Postal Service to what it was on January 10, 2017. If that means the two of them are left homeless...oh well, it’ll be a lesson to the others.

[mbusby]

58. Get the serial number...

...off of the machine and verify what was the manufactured date. Your phone camera would do just fine.

[Dukkha]

60. I work as an equipment operator at a major bank mail center

These are million dollar machines being dismantled at the taxpayers expense. For no other reason than a vain attempt to sabotage mail-in votes for a candidate with zero chance of winning. Corruption at a perverse and utterly transparent level.

[Warpy]

61. De Joy needs to pay for any of this out of his own pocket

His net worth is estimated at $75 million, most of it from UPS and other alternative carriers.

I'd be happy if full restitution kept him out of prison. He could afford it and it would cut him down to size.

[BComplex]

62. GET A COPY OF THAT ORDER, and give it to the Intel Committee.

He has committed PERJURY. He told Katie Porter he didn't order the sorting machines thrown out.

[Ferrets are Cool]

66. Take the paperwork with a signature on it to the press. And WHY THE FUCK

WOULD YOU COMPLY WITH THIS "ORDER" WITHOUT COMPULSION?

There are too many unanswered questions here.

[GoCubsGo]

68. Congress had better take the cost of those machines out of that motherfucker's hide.

Along with recouping the losses of all the businesses he has affected. Goddammit. Make that son of a bitch pay.

[Cha]

69. WTF Grand Junction?!!!!

[malaise]

70. isn't this a crime?

Didn't tax payers pay for these machines

[reACTIONary]

71. Inaccurate reporting... Correction made...

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — *UPDATE* We reported Monday that a local USPS annex employee said a brand new mail sorting machine was being thrown out. We got that information from a viewer who called in, but there is more to the story.

According to a USPS spokesperson in Denver, the machine in the dumpster was an older machine in need of repair. USPS Denver originally received the machine from Seattle but could not get it to work– that’s why it was thrown out.

[keithbvadu2]

72. Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.

Surely there must be a cost-benefit analysis to make such a business decision. Let's see it.

[bucolic_frolic]

76. Agree. And some statement of how they intend to sort it without them.

What I noticed too is over the last couple of years, way before COVID, the front desk clerks are sorting with rubber gloves on. Heightened awareness over something, more than ordinary, or more than before anyway.

[colorado_ufo]

73. That's where I am!

This is not a rich community, and we are in extreme drought and just a few miles from the Pine Gulch fire. I saw the sky for the first time in days yesterday, and it is still smokey and ashy. And now this! These machines cost a million dollars!

This is a heavily Repub community, so I don't expect them to defy the postmaster general; but I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Disgust. Pure disgust.

[bucolic_frolic]

74. Tracking the mail with photos of every piece was a big issue when there were terrorist incidents

Do you recall? The USPS was said to keep a visual of every piece of mail for a period of time, like 2-4 weeks I think. This was useful when terrorists would mail toxins, powders, bio-agents through the mail.

Recently, like last March, I think they had a service where you could track these images. I think there's a fee for it.

So is it a reasonable assumption that the tracking system - the ability to account for every piece - went out the window with the removal of sorting machines? Is that what's going on here?

They can lose more mail if there's no tracking. Like ballots. They just disappear. Thrown away. No record.

[colorado_ufo]

75. USPS See What's in My Mail

Anyone can sign up, and it's free. You sometimes can't see oversize pieces. They keep an archive of about one week. As it is about a 1/4 mile walk to my mail box, I check to see if the walk is worth it or just wait until the evening.

[yellowdogintexas]

91. USPS Informed Delivery go to the USPS website and sign up

you can put it on your phone as an app or receive emails. I love it.

[Rebl2]

77. They should

have refused to do it. It takes a long time to set those up. My husband helped do that kind of thing when he worked at the post office. This is absolutely crazy they are sorting by hand now.

[warmfeet]

79. Democracy is not all that great, anyway.

Just give up, give it all to the tRump!

[Hotler]

80. It was a hand-me-down machine from Seattle they couldn't repair. Per the article. nt

[ecstatic]

89. So there we have it. Dejoy continues unabated, answering to nobody

Except for the one or two sham appearances before Congress where he lied and deflected. ARREST HIM NOW!

[Aviation91]

93. This is on purpose...

I have worked for the federal government for 30 years and I can tell you the dismantling of these machines this quickly is being done on purpose. When machines or any kind of government equipment is taken out of service, it sits in a storage room or warehouse for several years before it is destroyed! That is a fact and anybody that works for the federal government knows this his how it has always work! This lying Postmaster General is doing this on purpose! I would seem that someone should remind him that tampering with or slowing down mail is interfering with delivery and it is a federal crime!!!

[MadMike47]

94. Story Updated: the machine was not new

I just checked out that story and it turns out that the machine in question was old and that's why it was thrown out. The news station just clarified their story. Sorry. But you don't want to pass on news that isn't true.

[UCmeNdc]

103. They need to produce the paperwork

What year? Are there replacement machines available? etc. If no replacement machines are available and this machine still worked why was it destroyed? If it still saved time it still saved money.

[UCmeNdc]

102. It makes no sense. It is governmental waste of resources and money. Yet no one questions this?

I know in the military if I had equipment assigned to me I better have paperwork with a description of why this property must be a loss before I could remove it from my responsibility to account for, care, and maintain it.
how can the post office take a million dollar machine out and just throw it away like it is useless and has no value?

What is going on here?

[randr]

104. Article disputed

Also disputed, the story that they are targeting areas that vote Democratic. GJ is far right wing territory.
We need to be vigilant and not fall for the same fake shit the opposition is prone to do.

[Nitram]

106. This scares the hell out of me.

[Le Roi de Pot]

107. How is this not a prosecutable misdemeanor?

Just because he is the post master general - can he issue an order to destroy all USPS equipment? How about delivery vans? What if he issued an order to scrap all delivery vans?

[OregonBlue]

108. I am furious with the Dems over this. They need to be arresting these people for destruction

of public property, not holding "hearings" about what is going on. They really need to grow a spine.

[ck4829]

109. K&R