Jonathan Kraus says timely mail delivery is more than just politics for his family. Kraus' father, a diabetic, relies on the United States Postal Service for the delivery of his life-saving insulin.
"He cannot just hope and pray that the mail gets delivered on time,” said Kraus. “My dad's life is being put at risk because of dirty politics.”
As the postal crisis is felt across the nation, Kraus says his family's stress is not unique.
Other Staten Islanders dealing with slow mail services gathered outside of the post office on Manor Road in Castleton Corners Sunday.
Congressman Max Rose was there to denounce President Trump's opposition to $25 billion in aid to the national agency and recent operational changes that have delayed deliveries.
"This is about helping out veterans,” Congressman Ross said. “The VA is pushing everything through the postal service. This is about helping our seniors. This is about helping people during a time of a pandemic when they have been told not to leave their homes.”
Earlier in the week during an interview, President Trump said he opposed part of the emergency funding because he believes it will service an uptick of mail-in-ballots for the November election.
"Look at what is happening all over the country where you have universal mail in. The ballots are lost, there is fraud, there is theft. It is happening all over the place,” Trump said Saturday, though studies conducted by experts found that the opposite is true. “Now, we are going to do it with this whole big vast section of the country. It is crazy.”
Democrats have also been critical of Postal Master General Louis DeJoy, appointed by the president.
They say recent policy and operations implemented have undermined the U.S. Postal Service.
House Democrats say they are ramping up their ongoing investigation by requesting DeJoy and Chairman of the USPS Board of Governors Robert Duncan testify at an urgent hearing on August 24.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York were among the political leaders calling for a hearing.
"If Mr. DeJoy refuses to appear, he should be stamped ‘return to sender.’ He shouldn't be allowed to be the post master general if, after all this destruction, he can’t answer to the American people,” said Schumer.
Schumer added that he will be proposing new legislation that would undo the changes slowing mail service and ensure mail-in ballots are treated as first class priority mail.
