Postal Service refutes claims of Bemidji mail delays, Amazon prioritization

BEMIDJI — A U.S. Postal Service official says mail is being delivered daily in Bemidji and elsewhere and blamed media misinformation for misconceptions about package delivery and working conditions for postal carriers.

The Tuesday, Dec. 5, response comes after a November letter from U.S. Sen. Tina Smith to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, demanding answers to problems identified with rural mail delivery in Bemidji and elsewhere. Michael Gordon, USPS Midwestern regional director and director of government relations, pushed back on claims of prioritization of Amazon packages leading to delivery delays of bills, prescriptions and other mail.

“Let me begin by stating unequivocally that the U.S. Postal Service does not prioritize the delivery of mail or packages based on the customer or sender, including businesses such as Amazon,” the letter states. “This is an unfortunate and inexplicable falsehood that I regret to see congressional offices also expressing publicly.”