The Washington Post is out with an article today accusing Postmaster Louis DeJoy of engaging in a straw-man fundraising scheme where his company reimbursed employees for donations to Republican candidates, which would be a violation of campaign finance law if true:
EXCLUSIVE: Louis DeJoy’s rise as GOP fundraiser was powered by contributions from company workers who were later reimbursed, former employees say
By @byaaroncdavis @AmyEGardner @jonswaine https://t.co/uqYy1XZApD
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
From the article:
Two employees familiar with New Breed’s financial and payroll systems said DeJoy would instruct that bonus payments to staffers be boosted to help defray the cost of their contributions, an arrangement that would be unlawful.
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
And this isn’t based on anonymous sources:
“Louis was a national fundraiser for the Republican Party. He asked employees for money. We gave him the money, and then he reciprocated by giving us big bonuses,” said David Young, DeJoy’s longtime director of human resources.
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
A spox responded to the accusations with, DeJoy “believes that he has always followed campaign fundraising laws and regulations”:
After repeatedly being asked, a spokesman for DeJoy did not directly address the assertions that he reimbursed workers for making contributions, pointing to a statement in which he said DeJoy “believes that he has always followed campaign fundraising laws and regulations.”
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
One of the donors was Heather Clarke, his executive assistant:
Five former employees said DeJoy’s executive assistant, Heather Clarke, personally called senior staffers, checking on whether executives were coming to fundraisers and collecting checks for candidates. Clarke now works alongside DeJoy at the Postal Service as his chief of staff.
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
According to the post, she “contributed $47,000 from 2002 to 2014”:
Clarke was among several nonexecutive employees who gave substantial political donations, public records show: She alone contributed $47,000 from 2002 to 2014.
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
This could get real ugly for DeJoy in a hurry:
Between 2000 and 2014, 124 New Breed employees together gave more than $1 million to federal and state GOP candidates, with the same amount often given by multiple people on the same day. During the same period, nine employees gave a combined $700 to Democrats.
— Matea Gold (@mateagold) September 6, 2020
DeJoy called these allegations “outrageous” at a hearing last month:
Last month, LOUIS DeJOY rejected as "outrageous" a Dem question about whether he had repaid executives at his firm for donating to TRUMP, which would be illegal.
But ex-employees say they felt pressure to donate to other GOP candidates & were reimbursed. https://t.co/XExexZ2npY
— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) September 6, 2020
So, is it time for a new Postmaster General less than 3 months before the election which will hinge on mail-in votes?
?MUST READ: These allegations are of serious federal and state criminal conduct that is routinely prosecuted. If true, he must resign or be replaced immediately.
https://t.co/7yNx24B46m— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) September 6, 2020
Dems are all over the story:
Let me make this headline accurate; DeJoy’s rise as GOP fundraiser was powered by a Series of State and Federal Crimes https://t.co/Z8Hoi72Gas
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) September 6, 2020
And the AG of North Carolina, where New Breed is based, is already hinting at an investigation:
My statement on today's @washingtonpost story "Louis DeJoy’s rise as GOP fundraiser was powered by contributions from co. workers who were later reimbursed, former employees say":
It is against the law to directly or indirectly reimburse someone for a political contribution.1/2
— Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) September 6, 2020
Any credible allegations of such actions merit investigation by the appropriate state and federal authorities. Beyond this, it would be inappropriate for me as Attorney General to comment on any specific matter at this time. 2/2
— Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) September 6, 2020
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