Postal protesters exonerated
After their victory, activists are planning a new action to defend quality jobs and quality services at the U.S. Post Office.
THE "POSTAL defenders" won a reprieve today in a Portland, Ore., courtroom. Multnomah County Judge Karin Immergut dismissed criminal charges against 10 protesters stemming from a civil disobedience protest case that is more than two years old. She ruled that the defendants' constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated.
The protesters immediately turned from celebrating their victory to organizing for a Veterans Day action calling on the Postmaster General to halt the scheduled closure of half the nation's remaining mail processing plants and to retain existing delivery standards rather than delay America's mail. The rally, which will also honor veterans' involvement with the postal service, is slated for noon on November 11 at Portland's Waterfront Park.
Ten protesters--including Rev. John Schwiebert, Jamie Partridge, Jack Herbert, Trudy Cooper, Rev. Michael Colvin, Tim Flanagan and Ann Huntwork--were arrested on criminal trespass charges inside the now-closed University Station post office on May 24, 2012.
While peacefully holding banners calling for "No closures, no cuts" and "Occupy the Post Office", the 10--members of labor unions, faith groups, neighborhood organizations, small business owners, a disabled vet, retirees and the Occupy movement--refused to leave until postal management agreed to keep postal facilities open and full service.
More than two years later, after a legal fight that went to the Oregon Supreme Court, the occupiers had hoped to get their day in court before a jury. The activists would have argued that they had tried every other means available--letter writing, phone calls, Congressional visits, rallies, marches, petitions, community hearings, City Council resolutions--but had been unable to stop the dismantling of the postal service by the Postmaster General.
The protesters planned to argue that, in refusing to leave, they were attempting to stop the closure of half the nation's mail processing plants, the gutting of service at half the country's post offices and the delay of mail.
The defendants will continue to argue that the real criminal is Patrick Donaho, the Postmaster General himself, due to his violations of Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution and Title 39 and Title 18, sections 1701 and 1708, of the U.S. Code which prohibit the willful obstruction and delay of mail delivery.
