Star Route scandal

The Star Route scandal was a political scandal in the United States, stemming from allegations of bribery and bid rigging in the United States Post Office Department which came to light as early as 1872 and which were the focus of public scrutiny following the election of President James A. Garfield.

The Star Routes were not officially serviced by the Post Office because they could not be accessed easily from a train depot or port.

Through a series of default bidding, the ring contractor would receive the contract route at an exorbitant high price.

In 1876, United States Senator Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas and Assistant Postmaster General Thomas J. Brady, along with three other men, established the firm of Miner, Peck and Company and filed applications for the route contracts.

During the ensuing investigation, Dorsey convinced his fellow members of Congress that he had no knowledge of any illegality and had limited ties to the firm.

[2] In 1880, Dorsey was named secretary of the Republican National Committee following the nomination of his friend, James Garfield, for president.

Garfield's investigation revealed among the major players involved were some of the large contractors, the ex-US Representative Bradley Barlow of Vermont, the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Thomas J. Brady, some of the subordinates in the department, and Arkansas Senator Stephen W. Dorsey, who became Secretary of the Republican National Committee during Garfield's 1880 presidential campaign.