As we told you yesterday, the House will do nothing about postal reform this week before taking yet another week long vacation. Why the inaction? Well it seems that Congressman Darrell Issa can’t even get enough Republicans to back his “reform” bill:

House GOP leaders say they want to move Issa’s bill. "The postal service needs more meaningful reform than the Senate bill provides," Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. "They don’t even have enough Republican support," said Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee that oversees the postal service. Lynch, a supporter of postal unions that oppose the collective-bargaining changes in Issa’s bill, said Republicans will eventually have to bring up the Senate-passed bill and try to amend it. Not yet ready to concede that necessity, House Republicans appear stalled.

We should note that Lynch’s postal reform bill is co-sponsoed by a bipartisan majority in the House. Issa’s bill has exactly one co-sponsor- his faithful freshman sidekick, Dennis Ross.

National Journal

via PostCom: Postal News and Information from Around the World.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Greensburg, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of false statements, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Jeffrey Allen Gogets, 51, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Alan C. Bloch.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Gogets was a supervisor at the Jeanette, Pa., Post Office. On April 18, 2011, Gogets staged an assault and robbery on his person while on postal property. The assault and robbery never occurred. Gogets self-inflicted a wound to his head. Based upon the feigned injury, Gogets was flown by Life Flight helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital. Gogets received $8,578.94 in healthcare and workers compensation benefits. On April 19, 2011, Gogets made false statements about the assault and robbery to United States Postal Inspectors who were investigating the incident.

Judge Bloch scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6, 2012, at 11:30 am. The law provides for a total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued Gogets on bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gogets.