Tag: Trump willing to destroy the post office to better his re-election campaign

Postal police union sues USPS, DeJoy over limits to mail theft enforcement authority

The union argues that this unilateral change by USPS managers violates their collective bargaining agreement

The Postal Service last month abruptly ordered its police officers to stop investigating mail theft that occurs away from post office property, the Postal Police Officers Association alleged Monday, suing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to block a change they say could erode the safety of mail carriers and delivery.

“The Postal Service’s sudden change is unwarranted, impermissible, and contrary to the language of the statute and also to collective bargaining promises it has made to the officers’ union,” the association said in its lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Washington D.C.

Per the union, USPS implemented the change on Aug. 25, a day after DeJoy testified to Congress amid mounting concerns that policy changes he implemented were delaying mail service and could jeopardize record numbers of mail-in ballots expected in the presidential election. Continue reading.

Postal Service to Tap Republican Lobbyist to Quell Mounting Scrutiny

New York Times logo

Facing multiple investigations and calls for his ouster, the postmaster general turned to a G.O.P. lobbyist viewed as adept at reaching out to Democrats.

WASHINGTON — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, moving to defend himself and top postal officials against suggestions that they are trying to help President Trump win re-election by sabotaging mail-in voting, told colleagues on Wednesday that he planned to hire a veteran Republican lobbyist to work with Congress.

Facing calls for his ouster by Democrats and a flurry of investigations on Capitol Hill, Mr. DeJoy informed postal officials that he had selected Peter Pastre, a former Republican congressional aide and insurance lobbyist, to act as a liaison for the agency with Congress and state and local governments, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The move came as the Postal Service was facing mounting political and operational crises. Mr. Trump has raised concerns about the security of voting by mail, and the independent quasi-governmental agency has struggled to overcome a delivery slowdown and a dire financial forecast — all while Democrats accuse Mr. DeJoy and the agency’s Republican-majority governing board of doing the president’s bidding. Continue reading.

DeJoy Earned Millions From Company With Financial Ties to Postal Service

New York Times logo

The postmaster general, under fire for his business ties and his cost-cutting measures, will testify before the House next week.

WASHINGTON — Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has come under fire for his continuing financial ties to a company that does business with the Postal Service, received $1.2 million to $7 million in income last year from that firm, according to financial disclosure forms reviewed by The New York Times.

Mr. DeJoy continues to hold $25 million to $50 million in that company, XPO Logistics, where he served as the chief executive of the company’s supply chain business until 2015 and was a board member until 2018. Documents filed with the Office of Government Ethics show that Mr. DeJoy also received millions of dollars in rental payments from XPO through leasing agreements at buildings that he owns.

The revelations are likely to further fuel scrutiny of Mr. DeJoy, a major donor to President Trump who has made a series of cost-cutting moves and other changes at the Postal Service that Democrats warn are aimed at undermining the 2020 election. Mr. DeJoy agreed on Monday to testify before the House Oversight Committee next week, and Democrats are expected to press him on the justification behind his new policies and question his potential conflicts of interest. Continue reading.

Here’s how to fight back against Trump’s destruction of the Post Office

AlterNet logo

Back in 2017, the Republican National Committeeannounced four finance chairmen. One of those was Las Vegas casino owner Steve Wynn, since forced to resign under allegations of sexual misconduct. The next was Elliot Broidy, who told a foreign government he could get the Justice Department to drop a graft investigation—if he was paid $75 million. Number three was some guy named Michael Cohen who … has a new book, so that’s cool. The last of the four was Louis DeJoy, top Republican fundraiser and current postmaster general engaged in sinking the service through blatant sabotage.

With Trump refusing to even consider a bill that would provide necessary funding, and DeJoy meeting with Republican leaders to give them both an assurance that the Post Office won’t be prepared to handle the election, as well as smoothing the road for the old Republican dream of privatizing a government service guaranteed by the Constitution, it may seem like there’s little that can be done, especially considering the ticking clock between now and Election Day. But there are ways to turn up the heat and turn this problem around. Continue reading.