In early summer and fall 2020, DeJoy shut down mail sorting machines, removed PO boxes, and banned carriers from making extra trips to ensure all mail was delivered on time. DeJoy has not approved these changes with the PRC as required. “The evidence shows that [the states and localities] suffered harm by hindering their ability to combat the spread of COVID-19, by hindering their ability to provide safe alternatives to in-person voting,” Sullivan found. DeJoy’s changes also created additional costs and administrative burdens for state and local governments by having to create these alternatives, the judge found.
“Although the simultaneous implementation of several policy changes in June and July 2020 contributed to the decline in postal service and the general confusion of postal workers, the recorded evidence demonstrates that the changes and impacts on the transportation schedule of USPS regarding late and additional travel were the primary factor affecting service nationwide or substantially nationwide,” Sullivan wrote.
Sullivan, however, did not find any violations of federal election laws in DeJoy’s slowdowns. “While the implementation of postal policy changes contributed to the delay in nationwide mail delivery, which in turn risked delaying the delivery of mail-in ballots during an election season, USPS actions do not constitute voting regulations that override states. existing regulations,” Sullivan wrote. However, he stopped DeJoy from unilaterally making big changes to the service.
As if that would stop DeJoy. The surest way to prevent him from intervening in other elections is to fire him. The Postal Regulatory Commission doesn’t seem particularly interested in retaining him, nor does the service’s Board of Governors. PRC fired a complaint filed by 20 state attorneys general last fall on DeJoy’s 10-year plan to make mail delivery slower and more expensive. The Board of Governors also accepts it, despite the fact that it directly hurts everyone who relies on fast and efficient mail delivery to pay their bills, get those checks, and generally do business.
There is another easy opportunity for President Joe Biden to finally end DeJoy’s destruction of the Postal Service right now. The terms of DeJoy’s last two major champions on the Board of Governors – Democrat Donal Lee Moak and Republican William Zollars –expires in december. The way the board works allows them to go another year without being reappointed, but Biden can’t let that happen.
The Save the Post Office Coalition, along with 83 separate public interest groups, are on top of the situation. They wrote to Biden in August, calling on him to nominate new candidates “who will hold current Postmaster General Louis DeJoy accountable for his destructive leadership and strongly advocate for the expansion of USPS services.”
“Now is the time for a council that will invest in building the Postal Service of the future,” their letter concludes, which means creating a council that “will push the USPS to examine its long-term financial health and build a union-built electric postal fleet that will be better for the planet, for mail carriers, and for frontline communities.
Last year, Biden ousted DeJoy’s biggest cheerleader, Democrat Ron Bloom, at the end of his term. It made the base giddy with anticipation that, finally, DeJoy’s days were numbered. We celebrated too soon.
Porter McConnell, co-founder of the Save the Post Office coalition, says The Prospect’s David Dayen, “I know the base is still very upset with DeJoy and doesn’t understand why he’s here.” She added, “[The administration] could decide to achieve political victory. Or refuse to do so for unknown reasons.
This time, however, Biden has to do it. It’s the third most popular thing he can do with the base after forgiving student loans and pardons for federal weed convictions. He did that. Now is the time for him to save the post office and appoint two new members who will do the job. It’s a slam dunk, and it would be the perfect time to make the announcement, with DeJoy’s holiday price hike piss everyone off.
The lame Senate session would be a good time for confirmation of the two board nominees who will finally vote to get rid of DeJoy. It also wouldn’t hurt to announce those nominees now, before people vote for senators, so they can factor the post office backup into their votes. It’s not the biggest issue of the campaign, but it would certainly be motivating for the grassroots.
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