WASHINGTON — Louis DeJoy, who oversaw a U.S. Postal Service plagued by delays in mail delivery and steep financial losses, said he is stepping down.
DeJoy has notified the Postal Service Board of Governors that it should begin the process of picking his successor.
“While you undertake that process, my commitment is to devote my time and energy and being as helpful as possible in facilitating a transition that is the least impactful to the Postal Service and the American people, and that positions my successor and the Postal Service for long-term success,” the postmaster general wrote in a letter released Tuesday.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have complained for months about lagging mail delivery times under DeJoy. Among them is U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who said he hopes DeJoy’s announcement paves the way for a fresh start.
“As the USPS Board of Governors begins its search for a replacement, I urge them to find new leadership that will swiftly restore normal service that Georgia families and businesses can rely on, and I will continue holding them accountable,” Ossoff said in a news release.
Both Republicans and Democrats have said DeJoy’s efforts to consolidate and streamline mail operations have affected businesses and homeowners across the nation. But he repeatedly ignored calls to resign while President Joe Biden was in office, and the Board of Governors ignored pleas that he be fired.
In his letter, DeJoy wrote that many of his efforts to improve the Postal Service’s bottom line were met with resistance that he blamed on politics and people invested in the status quo.
“The simplest and most obvious ideas and solutions receive illogical and irrational scrutiny from those that have no responsibility for ensuring the financial viability of the Postal Service,” he wrote. “This, combined with industry lobbying, has held the organization back in the past from making the necessary changes.”
The president does not directly hire and fire the postmaster general but has sway over the Board of Governors, whose members are appointed by the president to serve multiyear terms.
DeJoy, the founder and CEO of a logistics company, was a Republican donor and major supporter of President Donald Trump when he was selected to lead the Postal Service in 2020. His tenure was controversial from the start.
In Georgia, much of the criticism of DeJoy centers on his decision to consolidate operations at a new processing and distribution facility in Palmetto southwest of Atlanta. Worsened package and mail delivery times were a result. They still have not returned to previous levels, although DeJoy told lawmakers during a recent hearing there have been improvements.
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