Trump Attempts to Sabotage Mail-in-Voting

Postmaster General DeJoy is conducting a sweeping Postal Service reorganization.

(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - Trump is behind in most polls and he knows that if he loses the election, as a private citizen, he will be exposed to federal and state criminal prosecution. Because of the pandemic, the safe and secure means to vote is by mail.

Thus, Trump is openly and unashamedly attempting to sabotage the postal service to slow down the mail so as to discourage voting or delay the delivery of ballots too late to be counted.

If Trump still loses the election, he can claim a “rigged” election.

To implement this ploy, Trump appointed Louis DeJoy Postmaster General, a major Trump donor.

DeJoy continues to hold a multimillion-dollar stake in his former company XPO Logistics, a USPS contractor — a conflict of interest.

DeJoy is conducting a sweeping Postal Service reorganization beginning with the firing or reassigning of 23 USPS executives, eliminating equipment, removing mail boxes, and limiting overtime.

As a result, mail is already backing up at many post offices.

In addition, Trump opposes emergency funding to support voting by mail. Mark Dimondstein, president of the 200,000-member American Postal Workers Union said in a statement on August 3,

"This assault on the US Constitution, our democratic rights and the ongoing attempt to discredit 'vote-by-mail' and demonize postal workers is wrong and heads us down a dangerous path toward dictatorship,"

The USPS has sent letters to all 50 states warning them that ballots may not be received in time to be counted.

States determine their own rules on mail voting. But some fear postal delays could undermine those rules.

While it is unclear whether mail-in-voting favors one party over another, Trump believes it will favor Joe Biden. Members of Congress have railed against Trump’s actions so far to no avail.

Congress cannot or will not intervene as the Senate has gone on summer recess until September and Trump would probably veto any corrective legislation anyway. The House could cut its recess short and hold hearings on DeJoy’s actions. It is unclear whether a court could or would intervene.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any means to stop Trump/DeJoy except to vote early and hope for the best or, if states allow it, deliver completed ballots to drop boxes, or vote in person and risk infection.