The figures cited by Roberts came from the House of Representatives’ opening statement for coronavirus relief, legislation passed in May that was enacted in the Senate. The bill included $ 3.6 billion for “election subsistence subsidies” that could be used to send ballots and registration forms to voters.
Trump had strangely rejected those proposals as part of his ongoing attack on postal voting. The president acknowledged in an interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo on Thursday that blocking additional funding the Postal Service would not be able to handle the expected volume of post-in-votes, a maneuver that Trump’s opponents soon characterized as an attempt at voter oppression.
But the president’s remark Friday called for a change in posture, depending on approval of his administration’s relief proposals. Shortly before the briefing on Friday, Trump had tweeted that he pressured Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to advance direct payments to kiss the financial blow of the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump tweeted: “DEMOCRATS BIND IT UP!”
The president has repeatedly characterized post-in balloting as a gateway to voter fraud, even as fears spread coronavirus at personal polling stations.
Despite his allegations, there is no evidence of the type of widespread voter fraud that Trump has alleged. There are some additional risks of voter fraud with mail voting, experts have suggested, but that risk may be limited by election security measures.
Trump’s appointed postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, has also been criticized this month for substantially adjusting postal services under the guise of cost reduction. Post workers have complained that the measures reduce their ability to deliver the mail on time, potentially hamstring the service just as it is expected that an unusual number of voters will be asked to indicate and submit email ballots.
“The President, his coroners and Republicans in Congress continue their fierce attack on the Postal Service and its role in ensuring the integrity of the 2020 elections,” said Second Chamber member Nancy Pelosi and Leader for Minority in the First Chamber Chuck Schumer in a statement Friday. “Yesterday, the President threatened the Post Office to continue to die from the funds needed to provide the absentee ballots needed to ensure that people do not have to choose between their health and their vote this autumn – threats that he doubled last night. “
Pelosi and Schumer noted in their statement that the president and first lady had even asked this week to vote absent.
Democrats call on President to stop his attack on the Postal Service immediately, make it clear that he will allow the elections in 2020 without his sabotage tactics and enable the American people the same opportunity as he and the First Lady this week to vote by absent mood, ”said Pelosi and Schumer.
