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Watchdog to investigate US Postal Service changes ahead of election – live Watchdog to investigate US Postal Service changes ahead of election – live
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The Postal Service’s inspector general will investigate claims that changes pose threat to voting in November’s presidential electionThe Postal Service’s inspector general will investigate claims that changes pose threat to voting in November’s presidential election
House speaker Nancy Pelosi has written a letter to her Democrat colleagues in which she says Congress’s ongoing inability to agree on a stimulus bill during the Covid-19 pandemic is due to “the complete disarray on the Republican side — as President Trump contradicts his own negotiators and his own positions.”
She also attacked Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell’s role in the stalled negotiations. “Senator McConnell’s attitude that states should go bankrupt is shared by the White House and has been a significant obstacle inside negotiations,” she wrote.
Pelosi added that Donald Trump’s handling of the US Postal Service, and concerns over mail-in voting this November.
“Before our eyes, President Trump is openly working to destroy the Post Office and sabotage its ability to deliver absentee ballots in time to be counted,” she wrote. “In the time of pandemic, the Postal System is Election Central. All patriots, Democrats, Independents or Republicans, should reject the President’s assault on the Postal System in this election season.”
My colleague Sam Levine has taken a deeper look at why the United States Postal Service’s part in November’s election has come under scrutiny of late:
An unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the last few months, states across the US have seen record numbers of Americans request ballots and submit votes by mail in primary and other elections. Mail-in ballots may account for 50% of all of the votes cast this fall, according to an estimate by Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who closely tracks voter turnout. That would be a huge increase from 2016 and 2018, when about a quarter of votes came through the mail.
That surge means the USPS is going to play a much bigger role in facilitating an American presidential election than ever before. The agency will be responsible for transporting ballots between election officials and voters. Many states require ballots to arrive at election offices by the close of the polls on election day. Others allow ballot postmarked on or before election that arrive within a specified period. There’s concern over whether the USPS, which is already facing a severe financial crisis, will be able get ballots to voters and return them to election offices in time to have them counted.
So what exactly is Trump doing to the USPS?
Over the last few months there have been reports of severe mail delays across the US. In Philadelphia, for example, some residents told the Philadelphia Inquirer they had gone weeks without receiving mail. Concerns over those delays were heightened in early June when Louis DeJoy, a major Republican donor and Trump ally, took over as postmaster general, the top role at the USPS.
In July, the Washington Post and other news organizations reported the agency was banning overtime and instructing postal workers to leave the mail behind if it delayed them on their routes. There are also reports of the USPS removing mail sorting machines from facilities, which could lead to a further slowdown.
Critics suggest Trump and DeJoy are deliberately slowing the mail to make it more difficult to vote by mail. DeJoy has strongly denied any political interference. But on Thursday, Trump openly admitted he was blocking $25bn in proposed aid to the post office because he wanted to make it harder to vote by mail.
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Donald Trump has spent the early part of today retweeting stories that promote the (unproven) theory that mail-in voting is subject to widescale fraud.Donald Trump has spent the early part of today retweeting stories that promote the (unproven) theory that mail-in voting is subject to widescale fraud.
The president retweeted allegations of voting fraud in Paterson, New Jersey, along with the comment: “The Democrats know the 2020 Election will be a fraudulent mess. Will maybe never know who won!”The president retweeted allegations of voting fraud in Paterson, New Jersey, along with the comment: “The Democrats know the 2020 Election will be a fraudulent mess. Will maybe never know who won!”
Studies have concluded that cases of mail-in voting fraud are insignificant. The Washington Post found only 372 cases of double voting or voting on behalf of a dead person in its analysis of 14.6m votes cast in three states. A different study of voter fraud maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation found 143 cases of criminal convictions involving absentee ballots over the last 20 years. That total is 0.00006% of the votes cast during that period.Studies have concluded that cases of mail-in voting fraud are insignificant. The Washington Post found only 372 cases of double voting or voting on behalf of a dead person in its analysis of 14.6m votes cast in three states. A different study of voter fraud maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation found 143 cases of criminal convictions involving absentee ballots over the last 20 years. That total is 0.00006% of the votes cast during that period.
As for the Paterson case Trump is referring to, officials there told the Washington Post that they don’t believe the problems highlighted by the president and others there are symptomatic of widespread fraud in the area and that it was uncovered by election officials.As for the Paterson case Trump is referring to, officials there told the Washington Post that they don’t believe the problems highlighted by the president and others there are symptomatic of widespread fraud in the area and that it was uncovered by election officials.
However, there what cannot be denied is the fact that an underfunded USPS may struggle to cope with an increase in mail-in voting this November as Americans look to cast their ballots remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Republicans have shown few signs of wanting to spend the estimated $4bn to pay for a competent mail-in service.However, there what cannot be denied is the fact that an underfunded USPS may struggle to cope with an increase in mail-in voting this November as Americans look to cast their ballots remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Republicans have shown few signs of wanting to spend the estimated $4bn to pay for a competent mail-in service.
Good morning. We start this morning with news that the United States Postal Service’s inspector general will investigate claims that recent changes could affect this November’s presidential election.Good morning. We start this morning with news that the United States Postal Service’s inspector general will investigate claims that recent changes could affect this November’s presidential election.
Donald Trump has long issued baseless claims that mail-in voting is ripe for fraud and there are real concerns that cuts to the service could weaken the agency and mail-in ballots may not arrive on time to be counted.Donald Trump has long issued baseless claims that mail-in voting is ripe for fraud and there are real concerns that cuts to the service could weaken the agency and mail-in ballots may not arrive on time to be counted.
The problem is particularly relevant this year as the Covid-19 pandemic means many people will want to avoid voting in person at crowded polling stations. Earlier this week, the president admitted he is blocking $25bn in proposed aid to the USPS because he wants to make it harder to vote by mail.The problem is particularly relevant this year as the Covid-19 pandemic means many people will want to avoid voting in person at crowded polling stations. Earlier this week, the president admitted he is blocking $25bn in proposed aid to the USPS because he wants to make it harder to vote by mail.