Sanford Nowlin
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro speaks to reporters outside San Antonio's central mail distribution site.
Carlos Barrios, clerk craft director with American Postal Workers Union Local 195, told the daily that workers were ordered to remove large piles of mail before the Democratic congressman's visit so he couldn't see how serious local delays were.
“This mail has been sitting there for weeks and weeks out,” Barrios told the Express-News. “So, rather than show Castro when he comes in and he sees the cluster there, it’s best to not even have it there. So, they moved it and they transported the majority of that to the north dock, where they were put on a trailer so they can be sent to Austin.”
The allegation comes as Castro and other members of Congress investigate whether Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Republican megadonor, has deliberately slowed the postal service to help President Donald Trump disrupt mail-in voting ahead of the election.
In a statement to the Express-News, Castro demanded that local post office officials come clean.
“If this conduct is true, it’s outrageous that USPS management would attempt to deceive the people of San Antonio about the condition of postal operations,” Castro said. “I expect an explanation from USPS leadership and an immediate reversal of these delays: Deliver the people’s mail now.”
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