Election interference is making headlines again, this time in New Jersey, where a U.S. Postal Service worker allegedly threw hundreds of political mailers supporting Republican Congressman Tom Kean into a dumpster. Caught on camera by a security company, this postal worker was reportedly seen dumping at least 300 pro-Kean mailers—an act that could have serious implications for Kean’s hotly contested reelection campaign.
The New Jersey Globe was the first to report the incident, which was captured on video. Employees at a local security firm observed a female postal worker approach a dumpster, where she proceeded to toss in stacks of Kean mailers. These mailers, sent by an independent committee, were intended for households in the heavily Republican areas of Morris County—precisely the voters Kean needs to energize if he wants to hold onto his seat in Congress. In an election season marked by tight races, particularly in swing districts like Kean’s, this kind of interference could alter the course of the campaign.
A U.S. Postal Service official has confirmed that the woman under investigation for discarding Tom Kean’s campaign mailers into a Pennsylvania dumpster has been removed from her job as a postal worker in Succasunna, NJ. https://t.co/Egp2w5ibfm
— David Wildstein (@wildstein) November 4, 2024
On Monday, USPS spokesperson Xavier Hernandez confirmed that the agency was aware of the incident, adding that the matter had been referred to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Office of Inspector General for investigation. Later that day, New Jersey Globe editor David Wildstein shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the postal worker involved had been “removed from her job” in Succasunna, NJ. USPS officials have yet to comment on the employee’s identity or any potential criminal charges.
Members of the security company that captured the incident on tape stated that they turned over the video to USPS investigators, who were able to identify the postal worker’s vehicle by its Pennsylvania license plate. “We saw her dump it,” one guard said in a YouTube video, confirming that the footage provided a clear view of the mail being discarded.
Congressman Tom Kean, who is running in a must-win race for Republicans looking to maintain control of the House, expressed deep concern about the incident. “I believe in the security of our elections and voting by mail, but this incident is deeply troubling,” Kean said. He called on USPS to take swift and transparent action to address the situation and protect election integrity.
This isn’t New Jersey’s first case of mail tampering. In 2020, another postal worker admitted to discarding around 200 mail-in ballots. The stakes are especially high for Kean, who represents a district where Republicans currently lead Democrats in early voting by over 7,000 votes. With election integrity under scrutiny, incidents like this only heighten tensions in an already critical election year.
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