Brenda Lawrence calls for postmaster general to resign, says he's 'ineffective and truly unqualified'

U.S. Representative Brenda Lawrence is calling for the resignation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

• Rep. Brenda Lawrence to take part in U.S. Postal Service Day of Action on Tuesday

Lawrence held various roles in the United States Postal Service before serving in Congress.

“In June, Republican mega-donor Louis DeJoy was named the next Postmaster General (PMG) of the United States Postal Service (USPS), even though he has no experience working at the agency," Lawrence said in a press release. "Within weeks, new initiatives and radical policy changes that he has implemented have crippled the more than 600,000 Postal Service employees’ ability to promptly deliver mail, as millions of Americans are experiencing mail delays or not receiving mail at all. Amid a global pandemic, any efforts to undermine the Postal Service’s ability to deliver crucial medical supplies, economic impact payments, and ballots is unconscionable."

Lawrence went on to call DeJoy an "ineffective and truly unqualified" leader who only cares about satisfying President Trump's wishes.

"The American people deserve a Postmaster General who understands the significance of the postal system, not a businessman who falsely equates a government service with a private business looking at a bottom line," Lawrence said. "Postmaster General Louis DeJoy must resign immediately. If he is not willing to do so, the Chairman of the USPS Board of Governors must immediately act to remove him. Our democracy will always come first.”

On Tuesday, DeJoy said the USPS will not implement operational changes to mail delivery until after the 2020 election.

"...there are some longstanding operational initiatives — efforts that predate my arrival at the Postal Service — that have been raised as areas of concern as the nation prepares to hold an election in the midst of a devastating pandemic," DeJoy said in a statement. "To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded."

DeJoy said he wants to assure all Americans of the following:

1. Retail hours at Post Offices will not change.
2. Mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are.
3. No mail processing facilities will be closed.
4. And we reassert that overtime has, and will continue to be, approved as needed.

"I am grateful for the commitment and dedication of all the men and women of the Postal Service, and the trust they earn from the American public every day, especially as we continue to contend with the impacts of COVID-19. As we move forward, they will have the full support of our organization throughout the election.”