Read on Twitter
Starting a thread to keep track of how Trump's Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, is working to dismantle USPS and disrupt mail-in voting in the 2020 election.
1. DeJoy, a major GOP/Trump donor, is appointed Postmaster General in May. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/851976464/new-postmaster-general-is-top-gop-fundraiser
1. DeJoy, a major GOP/Trump donor, is appointed Postmaster General in May. https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/851976464/new-postmaster-general-is-top-gop-fundraiser
2. DeJoy issues a memo in July telling USPS employees outlining operational changes that would delay mail delivery, including cutting overtime and instructing postal workers not to ensure all mail is delivered daily. https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/united-states-postal-service-changes-memo-slower-mail-delivery-20200714.html
3. DeJoy's financial disclosure shows millions of dollars in investments in a USPS direct competitor. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/12/politics/postal-service-dejoy-conflicts-amazon-trades-xpo-stake/index.html
4. Postal worker unions say they haven't been consulted on and oppose DeJoy's operational changes. https://www.npr.org/2020/07/23/894794250/critics-say-changes-to-usps-may-completely-transform-the-post-office
5. Postal worker complains of delays for medicines delivered via mail.
https://www.npr.org/2020/07/29/894799516/pending-postal-service-changes-could-delay-mail-and-deliveries-advocates-warn
https://www.npr.org/2020/07/29/894799516/pending-postal-service-changes-could-delay-mail-and-deliveries-advocates-warn
6. By early August, small business owners and postal workers complain about delayed deliveries. Postal workers state that overtime restrictions and sending out trucks without all the mail on them--without getting extra trucks--are causing delays. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7w9nd/usps-package-delays-mail-slowdown-hurts-small-businesses
7. DeJoy delivers remarks to the USPS Board of Governors on Aug. 7, saying, "[L]et me be clear that with regard to Election Mail, the Postal Service and I are fully committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process."
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0807-pmg-bog-meeting-comments.htm
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0807-pmg-bog-meeting-comments.htm
8. On August 8, DeJoy reorganizes USPS leadership, with "nearly two dozen" postal leaders reassigned or removed entirely. This is accompanied by a hiring freeze and a plan to offer early retirements, when USPS workers already say they're short-handed. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/organizational-changes-postal-service-come-amid-slowdown-concerns-n1236214
9. Lawmakers from both parties (but mostly Democrats) call on DeJoy to roll back changes that are delaying mail and put mail-in voting at risk. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/lawmakers-both-parties-want-postal-service-undo-changes-are-slowing-n1236086
10. Sen. Gary Peters launches an investigation into the USPS changes that have resulted in delays in early August. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/08/06/senate-democrat-investigating-us-postal-service-delays-as-election-fears-mount/#29abfcab19cc
11. On August 10, a postal workers union says 80,000 letters were not delivered on a single Monday in Southern Maine, because trucks could not wait 10 minutes for all mail to be loaded. https://www.centralmaine.com/2020/08/10/postal-workers-union-says-up-to-80000-letters-held-back-monday-in-southern-maine/
12. One I missed from July: USPS considers closing post offices across the country ahead of the 2020 election. https://www.federaltimes.com/federal-oversight/congress/2020/07/30/senator-union-leader-postal-service-considers-downsizing/
13. Sen. Joe Manchin points out that the USPS was authorized to borrow up to $10 billion as part of the March coronavirus package, but the USPS hasn't taken advantage of the funding. https://www.federaltimes.com/federal-oversight/congress/2020/07/30/senator-union-leader-postal-service-considers-downsizing/
14. Also in July, Sen. Mark Warner suggests additional funding for USPS in the next round of coronavirus funding (which has still not been passed): https://www.wvtf.org/post/warner-wants-pandemic-aid-postal-service#stream/0
15. In July, it was noted that 100,000 primary ballots were not counted because they were not postmarked in time. (Potentially because they weren't received in time.) General election voters are recommended to put in ballot drop boxes instead. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/07/24/postal-workers-union-sounds-alarm-over-budget-trump-administration-rhetoric-on-mail-in-ballots/
16. In mid-August, Trump admits he's blocking funding for the USPS to stop mail-in voting: "If we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting; they just can’t have it.” https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/article244929672.html
17. In mid-August, Baltimore residents waited in line for 2 hours for mail that never came. One was waiting for their unemployment. https://wjla.com/news/local/postal-delays-lead-to-mail-in-ballot-concerns
18. USPS warns that they may not be able to process mail-in ballots on time in Pennsylvania for the 2020 election. https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/pennsylvania-mail-voting-deadlines-post-office-lawsuit-20200813.html
19. Ohio residents complain about mail delays, including delays in receiving medicine. https://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/wheres-my-mail-complaints-soar-about-postal-delays
20. Kentucky residents complain about mail delays, including not receiving mail-in payments. https://www.wdrb.com/news/postal-service-says-mail-delays-caused-by-staffing-issues-pandemic/article_774580e0-dc1e-11ea-b1f5-0738200aa599.html
21. California residents complain about delays in receiving mail, including at least one who said they didn't receive any mail for a month. https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2020/07/22/rural-california-residents-take-issue-u-s-postal-service/5456022002/
22. Postal workers express concerns about how new operating procedures at USPS could impact the election. "I'm actually terrified to see election season under the new procedure," said Lori Cash, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 183. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/07/31/catastrophe-postal-workers-warn-trump-sabotage-usps-could-delay-mail-ballots-and
23. One Twitter user says it took 10 days for their mail-in ballot to make it from Florida to North Carolina. https://twitter.com/judithmedward/status/1289141982477131781
24. Another Twitter user says signs have gone up on mail dropboxes in their neighborhood that the dropboxes will soon be removed. https://twitter.com/judgecordell/status/1294065183900307457
25. Susan Collins registers her concerns about the USPS delays...for however little that's worth. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/511966-susan-collins-asks-postmaster-general-to-address-delays-of-critically-needed
26. Michigan is at risk (along with 12 other states--I'll try to find out what they are) for not having mail-in ballots processed quickly enough based on state laws surrounding mail-in ballots. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/postal-delays-could-cause-trouble-michigans-primary-election
27. This predates DeJoy, but in Wisconsin's April primary, many mail-in ballots were late. Some ballots were never delivered at all, others found in a processing center after the deadline. Some didn't receive postmarks, others returned w/o explanation.
https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2020/20-235-R20.pdf
https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2020/20-235-R20.pdf
28. The USPS plans to remove 671 mail processing machines in cities across the country this year. Removing them will further stress workers' abilities to complete processing and delivering the mail. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/13/politics/postal-service-sorting-machines/index.html
29. Chicagoans shatter record for mail-in ballot requests, with more than 230,000 applying...and applying early. Cook County GOP files suit to toss expanded mail-in ballot law on grounds of "ballot harvesting" and "disenfranchising GOP voters." 
https://news.wttw.com/2020/08/13/230k-chicagoans-apply-vote-mail-shattering-record-officials
https://news.wttw.com/2020/08/13/230k-chicagoans-apply-vote-mail-shattering-record-officials
30. Twitter user shares local social media complaints about mail delivery in Florida. https://twitter.com/BoulderGirl2014/status/1294105135438864387
31. Lauren Hough, a disabled veteran, states that the medication she takes for service-connected PTSD and receives through USPS is running 9+ days late. https://twitter.com/laurenthehough/status/1294047701806481409
32. Another twitter user says their husband with stage 3 colon cancer received pre-op supplies through USPS days after his surgery and are concerned about further delays in needed supplies. https://twitter.com/PFriggy/status/1294099585858711552
33. The Willamette Weekly confirms the USPS has removed 4 mail dropboxes in Portland and 27(!!!) in Eugene, with the intention of removing an additional undisclosed amount in Portland.
Eugene is extremely progressive and only has a pop. of ~150k. https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/08/13/united-states-postal-service-confirmed-it-has-removed-mailboxes-in-portland-and-eugene/?fbclid=IwAR2oZrYxdHdSAAKiqwmmpWsZi3pBjjroWXEWhHg7x73yBNbGEFhRSJ3qjow
Eugene is extremely progressive and only has a pop. of ~150k. https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/08/13/united-states-postal-service-confirmed-it-has-removed-mailboxes-in-portland-and-eugene/?fbclid=IwAR2oZrYxdHdSAAKiqwmmpWsZi3pBjjroWXEWhHg7x73yBNbGEFhRSJ3qjow
34. According to the USPS, only locations with 2+ mailboxes had mailboxes removed in Oregon. https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1294064382029127680
35. A twitter user shares photos of mailboxes being removed in Portland and Eugene. Says (down-thread) required 30 days notice was not provided. https://twitter.com/ThinkUpstream/status/1294037403309445120
36. Another twitter user says when she tried to put her mail-in ballot in a USPS dropbox, the mailbox was overflowing, and she had to find a different box. https://twitter.com/mm_schill/status/1294047324159672320
37. Sara Schaefer says rent check, sent priority mail, arrived 2 weeks late. https://twitter.com/saraschaefer1/status/1293968184257568768
38. The National Association of Letter Carriers endorses Biden. The NALC president specifically cites the fact that the Trump administration has spent years undermining the USPS as one reason for endorsing Biden. https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1294324682360053761
39. Postal workers " told Motherboard they have personally witnessed the machines, which cost millions of dollars, being destroyed or thrown in the dumpster." https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyv4k/internal-usps-documents-outline-plans-to-hobble-mail-sorting
A USPS document from May stated they planned to remove 969 of 4,926 mail sorting machines in service--with no plans for replacement. This would constitute 20% of USPS' mail sorting machines. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyv4k/internal-usps-documents-outline-plans-to-hobble-mail-sorting
41. USPS warns *46* states they might not be able to handle mail-in ballots. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/usps-states-delayed-mail-in-ballots/2020/08/14/64bf3c3c-dcc7-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html
42. Twitter user says cancer meds are now 11 days late. The replies on the thread are 
. https://twitter.com/brettirwin15/status/1294419273700392960?s=19
. https://twitter.com/brettirwin15/status/1294419273700392960?s=19
43. Senator Jon Tester says dozens of USPS dropboxes were removed in Montana.
https://twitter.com/SenatorTester/status/1294402120083546115?s=19 https://twitter.com/SenatorTester/status/1294402120083546115?s=19
https://twitter.com/SenatorTester/status/1294402120083546115?s=19 https://twitter.com/SenatorTester/status/1294402120083546115?s=19
44. I was curious how the USPS Board of Governors are selected. The BOG is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. There are as many as 9 gov's, and 6 are required to have quorum.
Up until last summer, the BOG hadn't had quorum since 2014. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2019/08/usps-board-finally-reaches-quorum-as-10-year-business-plan-comes-into-focus/
Up until last summer, the BOG hadn't had quorum since 2014. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2019/08/usps-board-finally-reaches-quorum-as-10-year-business-plan-comes-into-focus/
45. 2014 is also, notably, the last time Democrats controlled the Senate. With McConnell blocking Obama appointees, by the time Trump took office in 2017, there was only 1 remaining governor. https://www.newsweek.com/who-running-postal-service-where-board-470276
46. This means that all of the current governors sitting on the USPS BOG are Trump nominees, confirmed by the McConnell senate. One of Trump's first nominees, Robert "Mike" Duncan, is a former chair of the RNC. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2019/08/usps-board-finally-reaches-quorum-as-10-year-business-plan-comes-into-focus/
47. I've spoken a lot about the patience and tenacity of the GOP. They're willing to wait for years to watch plans to come to fruition. McConnell began blocking Obama appointees to the USPS 6 years ago. Today, that bears fruit: a USPS BOG utterly destroying a federal election.
48. Here's a graphic showing where and how much sorting capacity has been reduced in the US: https://twitter.com/_cingraham/status/1294344659385249792
49. And here is a graphic showing that overlaid with a map of how people voted in the 2016 election: https://twitter.com/FlossdnParadise/status/1294380298474524678
50. And another overlay, this time showing concentration of Democratic voters. Wow. https://twitter.com/XydexxUnicorn/status/1294409854854078465
51. The Trump campaign, RNC, and other conservative groups have filed suit against blue-leaning counties in Iowa for making it easier for people to apply for absentee ballots. https://twitter.com/Fly_Sistah/status/1294308701931745281
