Sen. Josh Hawley on Tuesday opened a formal USPS investigation, demanding internal documents after thousands of pieces of dumped mail were found in St. Louis and audits flagged massive delivery failures. The USPS investigation request presses for internal communications, itemized pay details and answers about whether employees were referred to the Department of Justice.
The senator’s letter, filed through the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, maps a paper trail Hawley wants produced: internal emails and texts, compensation records labeled “non-salary” or bonuses, performance scorecards and the exact date leadership was first informed of the St. Louis findings. Hawley says those documents are necessary to determine whether operational failures were concealed or improperly rewarded.
What Hawley is demanding in the USPS investigation
Hawley’s letter lays out a focused production request aimed at establishing who knew what and when. Key records the senator demanded include:
- All internal communications referencing the St. Louis dumped mail incident, including emails and text messages between senior USPS officials and field managers.
- An itemized statement of all compensation and “non-salary” payments made to Postmaster General David Steiner since his appointment, plus any “scorecards,” metrics or performance documents tied to those payments.
- The exact date Steiner and other senior officials were first informed of the St. Louis findings and copies of any internal notices or investigative referrals sent to field offices or OIG investigators.
Hawley also asked for documentation showing whether any postal employees have been referred to the Department of Justice for alleged theft, delay or destruction of mail, and for records and audits related to scanning-data integrity that feed the agency’s delivery metrics.
Those requests are narrow in scope and focused on documentary evidence that can establish a timeline and potential accountability. The senator’s team signaled the subcommittee may seek additional follow-up materials depending on what the initial production reveals.
USPS investigation: dumped mail and audits
The probe was prompted by inspector general field reviews and local discoveries. In the St. Louis distribution center review referenced in the letter, the Office of Inspector General described what it called the “worst case of failed on-time delivery” it had seen in comparable inspections. The senator also cites an audit in Kansas City that reportedly identified roughly 100,000 delayed pieces of mail over a three-day span.
Hawley’s staff frames those findings as evidence of systemic operational breakdowns that warrant document-level examination. The audits and field reports are the factual basis for the congressional inquiry; they do not on their own prove criminal conduct or intentional wrongdoing.
Steiner response and bonus controversy
Postmaster General David Steiner previously responded to Hawley following hearings by noting ongoing OIG work and disputing the senator’s characterization of agency leadership. In that letter Steiner emphasized cooperation with the inspector general while differentiating operational challenges from evidence of malfeasance.
Hawley pressed further over reports of “non-salary compensation” for USPS executives. He demanded an itemized accounting of Steiner’s compensation and asked for any performance documents used to justify those payments. The senator publicly suggested Steiner should return bonus money or consider resignation if the payments cannot be justified — a political demand that is separate from any formal finding of misconduct.
The exchange has increased scrutiny on executive pay practices at the Postal Service while the inspector general continues field work. Public statements and social-media posts from both sides have amplified the political stakes; those statements reflect advocacy and pressure, not adjudicated facts.
Allegations of falsified scans and potential prosecutions
Among the most serious questions Hawley raised is whether scanning data used to calculate delivery performance was falsified. The senator asked the USPS to produce records showing how scan data is collected, audited and validated and requested any internal probes or referrals to the Department of Justice related to improper scanning or mail theft.
It is important to emphasize these are allegations or questions raised by the senator’s letter, not established facts. The claim that scanning data was deliberately falsified and any linked criminal referrals remain unproven in the public record until the requested documents are produced and vetted.
Hawley’s inquiry is designed to produce documentary evidence that could substantiate or refute those allegations. Until that evidence is disclosed and independently reviewed, implications of criminal conduct should be treated as open questions.
What comes next for the probe
The senator’s letter sets an initial document-production phase. Typical next steps in a Senate oversight inquiry include:
- USPS voluntary production of responsive records to committee staff for review.
- Staff review and targeted follow-up requests to clarify timelines, redactions or gaps.
- If productions are incomplete, the subcommittee can issue subpoenas to compel documents or testimony.
- Depending on findings, the committee could schedule depositions or public hearings with senior USPS officials and OIG witnesses.
- The committee may refer potential criminal matters to the Department of Justice if the documentary record suggests prosecutable offenses.
Those steps are procedural possibilities rather than predictions; the subcommittee’s actual path will depend on the content and quality of the records produced.
Source attribution
This story is based on Fox News reporting and the letter Sen. Hawley sent to USPS leadership. For the original reporting, see the Fox News article: Fox News — Hawley launches investigation. A copy of Hawley’s letter is referenced within that report and is available from the senator’s public office.
The U.S. Postal Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment cited in the reporting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the USPS investigation about?
The congressional USPS investigation seeks internal records after thousands of pieces of dumped mail were found in St. Louis and audits flagged large delivery delays; it focuses on operational failures and executive compensation.
What did Hawley ask the USPS to produce?
He requested internal communications related to the dumped mail, the exact date Postmaster General David Steiner was notified, itemized compensation records and performance “scorecards,” and any records about DOJ referrals or scan-data integrity.
Could postal employees face criminal charges?
Hawley asked whether any employees have been referred to the Department of Justice, but referrals or charges have not been publicly confirmed. Any prosecution would require evidence and formal DOJ action.
