U.S. postmaster general to testify before House

U.S. postmaster general to testify before House

[NFA] New U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify before a U.S. House panel investigating whether service changes adopted in recent weeks have slowed mail deliveries, the committee said on Monday.

This report produced by Yahaira Jacquez.

As Democrats grow increasingly outraged over changes at the post office that they see as political interference... Trump: "No, I have encouraged everybody to speed up the mail, not slow the mail." U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday pushed back on claims that he's trying to undermine the U.S. postal service as it prepares to handle a flood of mail in ballots amid the pandemic.

Yet Trump continued his attacks on mail-in voting, claiming without evidence it would lead to fraud.

Trump: "It's fraught with fraud and every other thing that could happen." Congressional Democrats are growing increasingly frustrated at changes put in motion under Trump's Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a major GOP donor, who after increasing pressure has agreed to testify before Congress on August 24.

Democrats are highlighting moves like reductions in overtime and new sorting and delivery policies that they say threaten to slow down the mail ahead of election day.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called lawmakers back to Washington over their August recess and on Saturday her chamber will meet to consider legislation to block changes at the post office.

House Democratic Conference Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Representative Ted Lieu called on the FBI to open a criminal probe into DeJoy and his role in mail delays.

Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren urged the Postal Service Board of Governors to reverse the sweeping operational changes implemented by DeJoy – and remove him if he doesn’t comply.

The Postal Service last week warned states there is “significant risk” voters in 46 states will not have their ballots postmarked and delivered in time to be counted.