Politicians Violate "Mailbox Restriction" Law

Susan Mason writes a letter to the editor of the Rochester-Rochester Hills Patch.com website asking, "Shouldn't politicians know better than to violate mailbox law?"

Susan, a Rochester, New York resident, pens:

"A federal offense occurs on pretty much a daily basis in this area. The neighbor kid trying to earn cash over the summer, local businesses and even politicians violate Federal law 18 U.S.C. 1725. This offense committed against hundreds of individuals each day puts people at risk for identify fraud and theft.
"In 1934, Congress enacted a law known as the “mailbox restriction” that prohibits anyone from placing mailable matter without postage into any mailbox. This law reads as follows:

“Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title.”

Postal Service regulations are broader than the mailbox restriction law. The regulations restrict items placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mailbox according to the article.

Under current law, a violation of the mailbox restriction law is an infraction that can be punished by a fine but not by imprisonment. The maximum fine for each offense is $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations.

To read Susan's entire letter, click here.