Trump Blocking Postal Service in Hopes of Winning November Election

Late Wednesday, Senate Democrats again wrote DeJoy, this time saying postal leadership is pushing state election officials to opt for pricier first-class postage for mail-in ballots to be prioritized.

“Instead of taking steps to increase your agency’s ability to deliver for the American people, you are implementing policy changes that make matters worse, and the Postal Service is reportedly considering changes that would increase costs for states at a time when millions of Americans are relying on voting by mail to exercise their right to vote,” the Democrats wrote.

Separately, in a letter last month, the Postal Service warned Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson that the agency might not be able to deliver ballots in time to be counted under the state’s deadlines for casting mail-in votes.

Postal Service spokesman David Partenheimer said in a statement that “certain deadlines concerning mail-in ballots, may be incompatible with the Postal Service’s delivery standards,” especially if election officials don't pay more for first-class postage.

“To the extent that states choose to use the mail as part of their elections, they should do so in a manner that realistically reflects how the mail works,” he said.

In a memo to staff Thursday, DeJoy said his policies have brought “unintended consequences that impacted our overall service levels”, but added that the Postal Service “must make a number of significant changes which will not be easy, but which are necessary".

“This will increase our performance for the election and upcoming peak season and maintain the high level of public trust we have earned for dedication and commitment to our customers throughout our history,” DeJoy wrote, according to the memo obtained by the AP.

Judy Beard, legislative and political director for the American Postal Workers Union, said postal workers are up to the task of delivering mail-in ballots this year.

Read also: Facebook Launches Hub on US Voting Info Ahead of November Election

“We definitely know that the president is absolutely wrong concerning vote-by-mail,” she said.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., chair of the House subcommittee on government operations, said Trump is acknowledging that he wants to hold up funding for the US Postal Service to hinder Americans from voting.

“The president admits his motive for holding USPS funding hostage is that he doesn’t want Americans to vote by mail,” Connolly said in a statement Thursday.

“Why? It hurts his electoral chances. He’s putting self-preservation ahead of public safety, for an election he deserves to lose.”

Trump has requested a mail-in ballot for Florida’s primary election Tuesday.

Ballots were mailed Wednesday to both the president and first lady Melania Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort, which Trump lists as his legal address, according to online Palm Beach County elections records.

Both voted by mail in the presidential preference primary in March, according to records. 

(Writer: Deb Riechmann, Anthony Izaguirre) 

Source: https://apnews.com/ece1f6e9cea1b2aa0a8c6af7ca003f26