WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) today raised concerns about the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) strong reliance on highly partisan unions for election-related operations, including handling of ballots, and the risk it poses to Americans’ confidence in election results.
According to information recently provided to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the postal unions who are largely in support of the Democratic Party will play an integral role in vote-by-mail this year by participating in USPS’ programs that empower management and postal unions to review every aspect of the ballot-delivery process and also permit employees to ensure election mail is properly postmarked. Roughly 92 percent of postal employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and at least two major postal unions have endorsed Joe Biden for president. Additionally, it is unclear if USPS ever remedied institutional bias after the Office of Special Counsel found that one postal union inappropriately assisted Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign during the 2016 election.
In a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy, Ranking Member Comer calls on the USPS to ensure fair and efficient operations for the election and consider a program of monitors from the Republican and Democratic parties in postal facilities to help mitigate concerns. He also requests information regarding oversight of USPS’ employee mail-in ballot programs and the safeguards put in place to ensure compliance with federal ethics law.
https://postaltimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Letter-re-USPS-9-24-2020.pdf
