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FOUNDING MEMBER
V O T IN G R IG H T S
James Sues Trump Over Post Offi ce Mess
Joined by New York City, two states, New Yoork State fi les federal lawsuit
New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
BY MARK HALLUM & PAUL SCHINDLER
Just one day after Postmaster
General Louis DeJoy testifi
ed before the House Oversight
Committee about the
crisis at the US Postal Service, New
York State Attorney General Letitia
James in tandem with the City of
New York took the Trump administration
to court, alleging that recent
mail dysfunctions are a deliberate attempt
at voter suppression.
Since DeJoy was appointed less
than three months ago, mail drop-off
boxes have been removed and mail
sorting machines have been taken
out of commission across the country.
There have been widespread reports
of unusual delays in mail service.
DeJoy testifi ed at the August 24
hearing that what he terms “reforms”
would not be reversed ahead of the
presidential election in November
when an unprecedented number of
mail-in ballots are expected to fl ood
USPS facilities.
Attorney General James slammed
the USPS upheaval as “nothing more
than a voter suppression tactic.”
“This time, these authoritarian actions
are not only jeopardizing our
DONNA ACETO
democracy and fundamental right to
vote but the immediate health and
fi nancial well-being of Americans
across the nation,” James said, referring
to the risk many voters feel
about waiting in long voting lines in
the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We will do everything in our
power to stop the president’s power
grab and ensure every eligible voter
has the opportunity to cast a ballot
come November.”
At Monday’s hearing, DeJoy denied
any allegations about attempts
to damage the democratic process
and placed blame on middle managers
for the cutbacks in overtime.
DeJoy told members of the House
committee, including Chair Carolyn
Maloney of New York, that overtime
and extra trips for deliveries have
been cut, but would be reinstated for
up to two weeks before Election Day.
Despite this concession, DeJoy was
not successful in convincing Democratic
members of the committee that
the scale-back efforts were independent
of President Donald Trump,
who has made baseless accusations
that mail-in voting will lead to massive
voter fraud.
Trump, appearing on Fox News
several weeks ago, said he would oppose
federal aid for the USPS as the
slowdown would also slow the delivery
and processing of mailed ballots.
He later made apparent attempts to
walk that comment back, saying he
would concede to “some funding” for
the cash-strapped, yet Constitutionally
required public service. At one
point, he seemed to claim his earlier
remarks about slowing the balloting
process down were in jest.
The New York Times has reported
that DeJoy and his wife have
donated $1.2 million to the Trump
campaign since 2016 and another
$1.2 million to other Republican Party
committees. According to fi lings
with the Government Accountability
Offi ce, the couple hold investments
of somewhere between 30.1 million
and $75.3 million in companies that
either contract with the Post Offi ce or
compete with it.
The lawsuit, fi led in US District
Court for the District of Columbia,
include the plaintiffs New York State
represented by James, New York City,
and two other states — New Jersey
and Hawaii — as well as the City
and County of San Francisco, as coplaintiffs
who are asking the court to
halt changes to USPS operations they
allege violate statutory and constitutional
law.
“Americans have a right to government
institutions that fulfi ll their
missions without any kind of bias,”
New York City Corporation Counsel
James E. Johnson said in awritten
statement. “For decades, the US Postal
Service operated in such a manner.
Until now. This is the people’s Post
Offi ce. The mail should not ship faster
or slower based on one’s political
affi liation or the political strategies
of the occupant of the White House.
Now, more than ever, New Yorkers are
relying on the Post Offi ce to be true
to its motto and to deliver lifesaving
medicine and election ballots. Lives
and our democracy may depend on
it.”
Citizens concerned about the damage
being done to the Post Offi ce can
send letters voicing their concern to
their senators and House representative
by texting “USPS” to 50409, and
then respond to the prompts given.
August 27 - September 9,22 2020 | GayCityNews.com
/GayCityNews.com
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