Subcommittee Chairman Connolly Requests Info on Postmaster General’s Secret Communications with Trump Campaign
Washington,
August 26, 2020
Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to follow-up on his responses to questions on Monday during testimony before the Committee on Oversight and Reform and to request information about his secret communications with the Trump campaign.
“As Postmaster General, your responsibilities do not include secretly communicating with any campaign,” Subcommittee Chair Connolly wrote. “You have a duty to stand up for the independence of the organization you lead and state clearly and publicly when the President’s actions are fundamentally undermining that mission. Instead, your response to President Trump’s actions has betrayed the position of public trust you occupy as the nation’s 75th Postmaster General.”
On Friday, DeJoy testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that he had not discussed any postal changes or their impacts with Trump campaign officials.
On Monday, DeJoy appeared to reverse his testimony in response to Subcommittee Chairman Connolly’s questions. Although DeJoy initially reaffirmed his testimony Friday that he had “no contact” whatsoever with the Trump campaign, he later appeared to change his testimony when confronted with additional facts and information.
DeJoy and Subcommittee Chairman Connolly had the following exchange:
Q: Did you not tell the Board of Governors, this month in August, that in fact you had had contact with the Trump campaign, to ask them to stop their attacks on the Postal Service and voting by mail?
A: I have put word around to different people that please—that this is not helpful to—
Q: So, you did have contact with the Trump campaign? For a good purpose?
A: I’m trying to think of where—if the Trump—when you say the Trump campaign, I’ve not spoken to Trump campaign, uh, leadership in that regard. I’ve spoken to people that are friends of mine that are associated with the campaign, yes.
DeJoy did not disclose to the Senate—or initially to the Oversight Committee—that he in fact did communicate with the Trump campaign. He was under oath on both occasions.
Subcommittee Chairman Connolly added, “It appears that you chose to communicate secretly with the Trump campaign because you did not want to publicly contradict President Trump, who has relentlessly attacked the Postal Service and voting by mail.”
The Subcommittee requested that DeJoy provide by next week all communications sent or received since June 15, 2020, between himself and any individuals associated in any way with the Trump campaign or any other political organization.
Click here to read today’s letter. |