DeJoy Senate Testimony Denies Sabotage as Gary Peters Details Severe Mail Delays

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, denying that his operational changes were designed to sabotage mail service or interfere with the 2020 election. DeJoy insisted he had “never spoken to the President about the Postal Service, other than to congratulate me when I accepted the position,” and claimed changes like removing mail sorting machines preceded his tenure. However, Ranking Member Senator Gary Peters presented detailed evidence of severe mail delays affecting his constituents and challenged DeJoy’s refusal to provide requested data on declining service performance.

Peters Documents Widespread Mail Delays

Senator Peters, who had secured the oversight hearing and launched an investigation into USPS changes, confronted DeJoy with over 7,000 complaints from Michigan residents and citizens nationwide about harmful mail delays under DeJoy’s leadership. Peters specifically questioned whether DeJoy had discussed his changes with Trump campaign officials or administration officials, noting the suspicious timing of operational changes during an election where mail voting would be crucial. Peters also pressed DeJoy about data showing on-time delivery performance had declined since July 2020, which DeJoy had not provided despite Peters’ requests.

DeJoy Defends Operational Changes

DeJoy maintained that he implemented changes to address USPS’s “dire financial situation” and claimed the Postal Service was prepared to handle the surge in mail-in ballots for the November election. He stated: “I am fully committed to the mission of the Postal Service” and vowed that mail-in ballots would be delivered “securely and on time.” However, he refused to commit to reversing specific operational changes, including the removal of mail sorting machines, and provided evasive answers about the timeline and rationale for his decisions.

Insufficient Explanations Satisfy No One

Multiple senators from both parties expressed concern about mail delays affecting constituents, particularly noting delayed delivery of prescription medications to veterans. A Montana senator described prescription medications arriving late, jeopardizing veterans’ health. Peters told DeJoy: “You owe the American public an apology for the harm you have caused.” Despite DeJoy’s assurances, the testimony revealed he had not provided Congress with requested data on performance metrics and had withheld information about the full scope of operational changes. Peters stated afterward that he remained “unsatisfied” with DeJoy’s answers and would continue investigating.

Significance

DeJoy’s Senate testimony demonstrated a coordinated strategy of denial and obfuscation regarding USPS sabotage. His claim that he never discussed postal matters with Trump beyond a congratulatory call strained credulity given Trump’s explicit admission just days earlier that he was blocking USPS funding to restrict mail voting. The hearing established a public record of DeJoy’s refusal to reverse operational changes or provide transparency about declining service performance. Peters’ detailed questioning revealed that DeJoy was withholding data from congressional oversight while implementing changes that damaged mail service during an election. The testimony set the stage for DeJoy’s subsequent House appearance and for federal court orders compelling USPS to restore service standards. It exemplified how Trump administration officials deployed implausible deniability while executing political directives to suppress voting.