Washington – President Biden announced his three nominees on Wednesday to join the US Postal Service Board of Governors, the board’s first step in potentially impeaching controversial postal worker General Louis DeJoy. There are currently three vacancies on the nine-member board, and the six existing members have all been appointed by former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Biden has elected Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel of the American Postal Workers Union; Amber McReynolds, a voting rights activist and the CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute; and Ron Stroman, who recently retired as Deputy Postmaster General. If confirmed by the Senate, Democrats would have a majority on the board, which currently consists of four Republicans and two Democrats.
DeJoy appeared at a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, where Democrats put him in the forefront delay of postal delivery over the summer, amid the coronavirus pandemic and an increase in postal voting ahead of the November elections. DeJoy told committee members that his future plans for the agency may include delaying the delivery of first-class mail.
Democratic lawmakers have called on the board to impeach DeJoy. In a controversial exchange of views with Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper on Wednesday, DeJoy noted that he “had been selected by a two-party board of governors” and said he would remain “for a long time” postmaster general.
“Get used to me,” DeJoy said. However, if Mr. Biden’s nominees are confirmed, the Democratic majority will have the votes to remove DeJoy.
Mr. Biden’s nominees would also diversify the board as all six current board members are white and male. At Wednesday’s hearing, Democratic Congressman Cori Bush said the board “looks like a millionaire white boys’ club.” The current members are mainly business people, including three investment bankers. DeJoy, who was elected by the board in April 2020, was previously a director of a shipping company.
Congressman Alma Adams, who last week led a letter signed by 79 other Democrats calling on Mr. Biden to fill the existing vacancies on the board, said in a statement that she was “overjoyed to hear our call to fill the vacancies. answered.
“A truly impartial Board of Directors will be able to work with Congressional leaders on necessary reforms to preserve the long-term health of the USPS, and identify immediate issues that must be resolved through decisive action. “, she said. “President Biden’s nominees to the Board of Directors are passionate, qualified advocates who will build USPS better, and I encourage the United States Senate to act quickly to confirm them.”