The badasses at the U.S. Postal Service are sticking it to the City of East Cleveland by refusing to pay two school-zone speeding citations and five red light violations totaling almost $700.
USPS Senior Litigation Counsel Jennifer S. Breslin sent the city a chilly letter citing the Postal Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Postal Reorganization Act (whereby Nixon was compelled by Ben Gibbard to replace the Post Office Department with the independently operational Postal Service). The Constitution vests USPS jurisdiction in the executive branch but doesn’t expressly address postal truck drag racing near elementary schools. Breslin reminds the city that “the Postal Service enjoys federal immunity from state and local regulation,” though they do “attempt” to comply “when feasible.” She signs her letter with the closing salutation “Respectfully, Jennifer S. Breslin,” followed by seven metal horns emoticons.
Even better is the 5-page response to Breslin from the attorney for East Cleveland’s traffic camera enforcement company, who relays several examples of legal comeuppance for U.S. Postal workers, including the case of a driver cited for delivering mail naked. Stay tuned for more constitutional punk rock shenanigans from your friendly neighborhood postal worker!
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2013.
East Cleveland’s traffic cameras are a disgrace and should be taken down. But what I find interesting about this blog post is that Scene’s reporter apparently does not know that East Cleveland is a separate city from Cleveland.
I’m sorry but the driver of the vehical should pay the tickets. Lately I’ve notice with Postal Service, City Cars and Trucks and etc they feel they’re above the law when driving Government cars and etc. Time for them to pay up and to admitt GUILT.
These are things that could have been avoided, the drivers should pay for it.
How about just paying it in postage stamps?
Citing the Postal clause and the reorganization act are non sequiturs. Just as DUI law (submitting to a breathalyzer) supersedes the fifth amendment, no one is outside local traffic law. If one were to follow Ms. Breslins logic, the FBI, which is under the purvey of the Justice Department, would also not be subject to local traffic law. Ms Breslin needs to cite case law, which she has emphatically refused to do. Additionally if we follow Ms. Breslin’s logic, a postal employee would NEVER be held accountable for local traffic law. Be that DUI, vehicular manslaughter, or reckless driving. The very idea is specious at best. Ms. Breslin, your contempt for local authority is both, appalling and astonishing.
You people haven’t figured out that the laws are for us little people and the government is exempt. Starts at the top in DC and filters down to the county, local and even the Post Office.
THAT CITY IS THE BIGGEST SHIT HOLE IN OHIO AND MY COMPANY HAS QUIT SERVICING THAT CITY BE CAUSE OF THE CAMERA TRAPS THE WHOLE CITY IS SUCH A SHIT HOLE THEY SHOULD TEAR IT DOWN THEY ARE THIEFS AND I HOPE THE CITY GOS INTO DEFAULT
if you are following the law and driving correctly, the camers shouldn’t be a problem…they aren’t to me! but if you want to speed through with no regard for the law…glad they caught ya!
I wonder how many traffic tickets were not paid by Frankie Poo Garbage Can Man Inaction Jackson and his family of felons ? Or did everyone magically forget his immediate familys history of breaking every frigging law on the books ?
Sic Em Frankie Poo !!!