Federal Times calls on Potter to act on Jaffer case, or step down
In a sternly worded editorial, the Federal Times last week called on Postmaster General Jack Potter to take action against disgraced former executive Azeezaly Jaffer, or make way for “a new leadership team”. The paper points out that “Jaffer’s alleged improprieties were known and apparently tacitly accepted for years before he finally resigned in June”.
The editorial, published in the August 21 print edition of the paper, asserts that “What has been sorely absent here is basic leadership from Postmaster General John Potter”, that both the PMG and the Office of Inspector General “failed to take allegations against Jaffer seriously when they first surfaced, and he failed to ensure that the proper controls were in place to prevent the kind of wasteful spending exemplified in the IG report”.
The piece concludes: “Potter and the leadership of the Postal Service have a choice to make now. The IG report documents a strong case, depicting a public official who ran amok with his official credit card, sexually harassed fellow employees and abused his trusted position. If Potter doesn’t think that merits criminal or other punitive action, perhaps it is time for a new leadership team to take charge of the U.S. Postal Service.”
PLEASE!
Since when has someone outside of an organization been able to discern “the truth” about any facts which even insiders aren’t privy. This case is very political, and any information obtained is tainted. Don’t broad brush all of Mr. Jaffer’s excellent service with the innuendo of those weak within his own service, and those outside whom he fervently called into question for maligning the men and women of the U.S.P.S.
So what if Mr. Jaffer indulged himself a time or few. Who hasn’t misspoken a time or two, particularly in Mr. Jaffer’s line of work? Shame on the Federal Times! What about the political misdeeds of the current Administration, the $40 million witch-hunt of Bill Clinton by the Republican crooks on the taxpayers’ dole? John Potter is doing a great job, even if you don’t know it! Editorialize don’t moralize, as I see it, the Federal Times is amoral.
Maloney is full of baloney! This case is not political. How can you justify Jaffer’s actions? I know several employees who were fired or almost fired for taking items (non-deliverable) thrown in the trash. How come it wasn’t all right for these employees to indulge themselves a little? There is so much fraud and corruption in the Postal Service that Congress needs to get involved and investigate. The OIG is a joke. They only cover up for these guys. Maloney must not work at the Post Office, because if he did, he would know this is going on at every level of the organization. It’s guys like Jaffer and Potter, and persons like Maloney making excuses for them, who are running our Postal Service to the ground. I hope this editorial is the beginning of the end for Potter, he needs to be thrown out now! Great job, Federal Times!
Does Mr. Maloney work for USPS? “So what if Mr. Jaffer indulged himself a time or few”!!! I’d be looking at his conduct as postal employee if he is.
I too ask…what took them so long to act? There are decent working people out here in the bureacracy of USPS just trying to keep our heads above water; it was very dishearting and demoralizing to me to hear of Jaffer’s escapades. He is a powerful figure of a man who makes an instant impression on people. What must all the media people he chastized, rightly so, for bad-mouthing the USPS think now? But on reflection, some of the people he mingled with outside the USPS were probably aware of his proclivities. Why did they turn their heads away? Shame on anyone who knew and didn’t tell.
More and more I find myself thinking…what is wrong with people these days? No respect, no morals, no sense of responsiblity. 29 years and counting.
Maloney is probably Jaffer or one of his surrogates. And Federal Times, please, who pays attention. Let’s go deliver the mail.
“Who hasn’t misspoken a time or two, particularly in Mr. Jaffer’s line of work?” Well…I haven’t. And if I did, I would expect to be dealt with harshly. And if my boss knew I did,and didn’t do anything about it, I would expect him/her to be dealt with harshly. That’s life, and it’s also THE LAW.
As someone who used to interfeace with Jaffer and his cronies all the time at USPS (I was a USPS employee). I would not doubt the veracity of these stories. He has been the biggest slimeball for years. He would take some of us in a USPS paid Limo to open bar parties at Burston Marstellar HQ, he would constantly harrass female employees and would accept gifts/favors that were in violation of government ethics. I have known this jerk since 1998. He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. He is one of the reasons why I left. If knuckleheaded Potter (who constantly walks around with blinders) took this long to deal with the problem, think how long it will take him to deal with other problems at Postal. All Potter cares about is the ‘old way’ of doing business, not reinventing the way you SHOULD be doing business (FYI. Potter can barely use his PC….trust me on this).
The waste of money on managements side isn’t unusual. The only thing different is that this has been made public.
I’m sure we’ll all be waiting to see what Postmaster Potter will do about this.
Years ago when I was a craft employee I remember a carrier who got caught stealing cash from the mail. As he should of been, he was asked to leave his job. They did allow him to resign but would have fired him if he didn’t. Granted he committed the ultimate sin of a postal employee by stealing from customers, but what has happened in this case is the same. The money to pay for his abusive use of the credit card comes from the customer also. While Jaffer may not have taken it directly from the mail stream it did in fact come from the customer.
No action by Potter will merely re-enforce the belief by most postal employees that they take care of their own while they ding the workers for even the most minor of violations.
I have worked for the Postal Service for 20 years and if you think
the only disgrace is happening at the top, then I am here to tell you
it is not. Front-line supervisors harassing employees, plant managers
harassing employees and the Postal Service picking up the tab when
they lose in EEO’s. It is no wonder employees don’t care anymore. This organization has and will continue to cover their own, but if they feel
an impropriety has occurred among the rank and file they immediately want a dismissal. It is impossible to get “good” employees
to apply for managerial jobs anymore due to the fact they don’t want
to be associated with what is already there. This organization needs to
change if it is going to survive.
I am so outraged by this incident! I can’t believe that the PMG is covering up this arrogant slimeball’s actions. I am a city carrier and we walk on broken glass every single day. There are no second chances for even mistakes let alone willful, deliberate and unethical actions like Jaffers. We all as craft employees should unite and really make a big deal out of this. Isn’t money lost (46,000 or more) still the same whether it be stolen by a craft employee or a top executive? Isn’t Postal service hurting for money and we all should be working towards increasing revenue and not misusing the Postal funds? Why was this guy not held accountable?
There is sooo much corruption in the management starting from it’s supervisors it’s unbelievable. Management makes a carrier or clerk-craft employee’s life miserable in any way possible. Letter of removals are given for any little thing with phrases like “Your behavior is highly unacceptlable to be an employee of the USPS”! What is more unacceptable than this guy’s behavior? All the management officials gang up on the REAL workers in order to earn bonuses and to make their numbers. Corruption in every way possible is condoned by the Post masters in almost every single branch of the Postal service very likely starting by PMG Potter!
After reading all of the comments, I believe everyone has a problem with the truth. The whole USPS organization corrupt. You have idiots changing contract routes to save time only to increase the cost and time! Why is the USPS selling all of these extra services to mail an item but it seems to take longer to get the item delivered if it is delivered at all. The USPS is selling framed art, beenie babies, and junk avoiding their duties to get the mail delivered on time and in one piece. From craft where I have seen how mail is delayed and parcels “FRAGILE” at that are treated as if the pet detective were delivering them. Clerks, city carriers, rural carriers, mail handlers, sales and service associates, etc are all just as guilty as management when they take that extra unauthorized smoke break or drag your feet on the street to avoid pivoting or to get that extra OT as part of your annual income. OR it has come to the point where the postal family is really “family”. You have a Manager of Post Office Operations, a Plant manager, and a supervisor in a plant operation who are all related. How about brothers and sister!!!!! How can they manage each other????? They can not manage at ALL!!!! Sooooooooooooo……, let’s start the privatization issue!!!!!!! Why are the USPS employees paid for federal holidays when the USPS is not part of the government??? Is the USPS a not for profit organization that is self supporting financially?? Why BIG BONUSES for “management” when craft does ALL of the leg work???? So you see, the USPS is just as corrupt as Mr. Jaffers. It is “ALL IN THE FAMILY”. Disband the USPS and I am sure some private organizations can screw up the mail just as bad and will not be authorized federal holidays that the USPS should not be authorized to take. It is a LOSE - LOSE situation. Herd postage is a risin’. Gotta get that money back Mr Jaffers!!!!
management needs to stop covering each others back side,they ride craft employees about wasting time practices.thats all management does is waste time.this report that report fudge numbers to try and make themselves look like there being productive.there is not enough work for management they have to make things to do,craft does all the leg work. i think we need to get rid of a few more of them.all i’ve heard since i became a member of this organazation is mail volume droppping, so by next year it should all be gone!
In his job, Jaffer tried to turn the philatelic activities of the USPS into a big cash cow, in the process making US stamp collecting a farce. It is not surprising to hear that with his arrogance and with the tacit tolerance of his bosses, he managed to help himself to all sorts of goodies contrary to the regulations. I wish that the USPS would refer his case to the Justice Dept. without further delay and let him have his day in court. He is supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, and I should think that proving him guilty should not be a particularly difficult job.
You didn’t need Jaffer to prove how inept the PMG is at running this business. All you had to do was ask any Letter Carrier from anywhere in the nation, and gotten that answer. Potter is taking us down the creek, without a paddle.