Local lawmakers decry ‘attack’ on U.S. Postal Service by President Trump
NEW YORK - Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney stood alongside leaders from the National Postal Mail Handlers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers on Saturday to protest what she calls a direct attack by President Donald Trump against democracy.
“He was opposed to the $25B request for funding for postal services because he opposed mail-in balloting,” Maloney said.
The extra money would help the Postal Service handle an expected surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic and expedite the delivery of prescription medications and social security checks.
The Postal Service already sent a letter to several states warning that it could not guarantee all mail-in ballots would arrive in time to be counted, even if they were sent in by state deadlines.
“This mail has to be done now manually,” said Yvette Johnson, Vice-President of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union. “Our truck times now, we have been instructed that if the mail does not make it there on time, they are to leave it in the plant.”
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President Trump has repeatedly claimed without any evidence that universal mail-in voting would increase voter fraud, but said he would consider more funding if Democrats agree to a list of items on his legislative agenda.
Meanwhile, new policy changes implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are under review, and Maloney, who is the chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, says he agreed to testify at a hearing on September 17.