Biden to oust DeJoy postal board allies

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Friday announced plans to nominate two former federal officials to the U.S. Postal Service’s governing board, replacing key allies of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, including its Democratic chairman.

The move was a surprise to postal officials and even members of Congress, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, and casts doubt on DeJoy’s future at the agency. It potentially gives liberals on the panel two crucial votes to oust the postal chief, who can be removed only by the board. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about private discussions.

The White House on Friday, confirming a Washington Post report on the decision, announced it would nominate Daniel Tangherlini, who served as the administrator of the General Services Administration during the Obama administration, to replace Chairman Ron Bloom.

Derek Kan, a Republican and the former deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, would replace Republican John Barger.

“We are, of course, deeply troubled, continue to be deeply troubled, as many Americans are, by the earlier reporting on Postmaster General DeJoy’s potential financial conflicts of interest and take serious issues with the job he’s doing running the Postal Service,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said later Friday during a press briefing. “It’s up to the board to make a determination about leadership, but we have continued concerns about the postmaster general’s leadership.”

The nine-member board currently comprises four Democrats, four Republicans and one independent, of whom Biden appointed three. The rest were appointed by former president Donald Trump.

Bloom, a Democrat, has backed the postmaster general as the agency permanently lowered mail delivery standards and raised prices. DeJoy was hired after then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin threatened to withhold key funds from the Postal Service unless the Trump administration could take over wide decision-making authority at the mail agency.

Bloom and Barger did not respond to requests for comment.