Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is being investigated by the FBI, according to the Washington Post. Sources told the Post that the Feds are looking into political fundraising connected to DeJoy’s former business, New Breed Logistics. The same individuals confirmed that the FBI has interviewed the company’s former and current employees and issued a subpoena to DeJoy himself for information.
“Mr. DeJoy has learned that the Department of Justice is investigating campaign contributions made by employees who worked for him when he was in the private sector,” said Mark Corallo, a spokesman for DeJoy. “He has always been scrupulous in his adherence to the campaign contribution laws and has never knowingly violated them.”
The Post previously reported that DeJoy and his aides directed employees at his North Carolina company to donate to Republican candidates or attend fundraisers for them hosted by DeJoy. Allegedly, the money was then reimbursed to those employees through bonuses, which would violate federal campaign-finance laws against so-called straw donors. DeJoy has denied reimbursing his employees for political donations. During congressional testimony last year, Congressman Jim Cooper asked DeJoy about the allegations and the postmaster spat back: “That’s an outrageous claim, sir, and I resent it …”
DeJoy was named postmaster general in May 2020 by Donald Trump and has been followed by accusations of impairing the post office for political gain during the length of his tenure. DeJoy instituted new cost-cutting policies including decommissioning sorting machines and new schedules for mail carriers that often resulted in mail left behind at distribution centers. These changes were implemented at the height of the pandemic and when millions of Americans were making use of mail-in ballots for the 2020 election. DeJoy was accused by critics of making changes as an attempt to quash mail-in ballots predominantly used by Democrats.