Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on North Carolina’s attorney general to open an investigation into the postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, over claims made by five former employees of DeJoy’s former company alleging that he reimbursed employees with company funds for donating to GOP candidates.
In a tweet Sunday evening, the Senate’s top Democrat said that the allegations raised in a report from The Washington Post earlier Sunday required investigation by officials independent of the U.S. Justice Department in Washington D.C.
“These are very serious allegations that must be investigated immediately, independent of the Trump Justice Department,” said Schumer in the tweet. “North Carolina’s Attorney General—an elected official who is independent of Donald Trump—is the right person to start this investigation.”
His remarks came after a former human resources manager, among others, told the Post that DeJoy had violated federal law earlier in his career by pressuring employees of his company to make donations to Republican candidates before reimbursing them with company funds. A spokesperson for DeJoy has denied that he ever sought to improperly pressure employees, and did not address allegations that he reimbursed employees.
The postmaster general “believes that he has always followed campaign fundraising laws and regulations,” said DeJoy’s spokesperson on Sunday.
“Mr. DeJoy was never notified by the New Breed employees referenced by the Washington Post of any pressure they might have felt to make a political contribution, and he regrets if any employee felt uncomfortable for any reason,” they added.
DeJoy has faced criticism from Democrats for weeks over the president’s efforts to discourage mail-in voting ahead of the November election, and reports around the country of delays in mail delivery related to operational changes made at the Postal Service.