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A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Postal Service — run by GOP megadonor-turned-Postmaster Louis DeJoy — to suspend and reverse changes that risk disrupting the 2020 election . District Judge Stanley Bastian’s ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by 14 states that alleged DeJoy misused his authority as postmaster to aid the reelection of Donald Trump . “ Plaintiffs have made a strong showing that the recent changes are the result of an effort by the current Administration to use the Postal Service as a tool in partisan politics” in violation of federal law, Bastian writes. “At the heart of DeJoy’s and the Postal Service’s actions is voter disenfranchisement.” Under DeJoy’s watch, the Postal Service has ripped out high-speed mail sorting equipment (apparently targeting pivotal swing states), put trucks on an inflexible schedules that forced them to depart regardless of whether the mail is on board, limited mail-carrier autonomy and overtime hours that can … [Read more...] about Federal Judge to Postal Service: Fix What Louis DeJoy Broke

A version of this story was originally published in November 2017 and has since been updated. One night in the late 1950s, the Flamingos ’ bus pulled up to a concert hall in Birmingham, Alabama, and a row of 30 to 50 police officers holding rifles and billy clubs was waiting for them. The cops escorted the six-member doo-wop group, famous for “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “The Ladder of Love,” to its dressing room and gave strict instructions: As black performers, they were to make eye contact with only the black fans, who were confined to the balcony, and not with whites on the floor. “It was ridiculous,” recalls Terry Johnson , a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame–inducted group. “The cops were up there making sure we did not look at any white person. It was a rule when we came in: ‘I don’t want to see any of you darkies looking at the white women out there. If you do, your ass is mine.’ Cruel things like that.” The Flamingos, like all African American performers … [Read more...] about The Rope: The Forgotten History of Segregated Rock & Roll Concerts

Postal Service trucks aren’t the only thing getting a makeover . President Joe Biden is nominating a trio of Democrats to the USPS board of governors. If confirmed, these newcomers would give the board a left-leaning majority, with the power to oust notorious Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , whom a federal judge rebuked last year for turning the Postal Service into “a tool in partisan politics” with the purpose of “ voter disenfranchisement .” Biden is nominating Ron Stroman, a former deputy postmaster general; Amber McReynolds, who leads the National Vote at Home Institute; and Anton Hajjar, who used to run the legal department for the postal workers’ union. Service on the nine-member board of governors requires Senate confirmation. These new board members would create a Democratic majority, and could begin to reverse the damage wrought by DeJoy, a longtime GOP megadonor . DeJoy, a veteran of private-sector logistics and shipping, has claimed he’s seeking to create … [Read more...] about Biden to Overhaul Postal Service Board, Putting DeJoy on the Ropes

A new study from the Committee to Protect Journalists concludes that President Donald Trump has been effective at destroying the credibility of the press, “dangerously undermining truth and consensus even as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to kill tens of thousands of Americans.” But the report authored by Leonard Downie Jr., former executive editor of The Washington Post, also sheds some light on where reporters, editors and producers can change perceptions during the Trump era. The report cited an array of instances in which the Trump administration has undermined press freedoms, including the Justice Department’s pursuit of journalists’ sources, the questioning of reporters and searching of electronic devices at the border by the Customs and Border Protection agency and the president’s encouragement of “federal government interference in the businesses of the owners of CNN, the traditional broadcast networks, and The Washington Post .” Related Story House … [Read more...] about New Study Says Donald Trump Has Been “Most Effective” In Destroying Press Credibility, Offers Insight On How Media Should Respond