Trump-allied postmaster general Louis DeJoy, who has been criticized for maintaining financial ties to a company that conducts business with the US Postal Service, received $1.2 million to $7 million in income from XPO Logistics last year.
The New York Times reported that the former Republican mega-donor continues to hold $25 million to $50 million in the transportation and logistics company where he formerly served as chief executive until 2015 and was member of its board until 2018.
The Times reviewed documents filed with the Office of Government Ethics that show DeJoy also received millions of dollars in rental payments from XPO at buildings that he owns.
The news comes as DeJoy, a major donor to President Donald Trump, agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee next week following cost-cutting measures and policy changes at the mail service that many Democratic lawmakers have said are explicit attempts to interfere with mail voting during the upcoming presidential election.
According to The Times, XPO’s filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission show the company paid DeJoy $1.86 million in rent in 2018. In reports to the Office of Government Ethics — which requires government officials submit an income range instead of a specific dollar amount — DeJoy said that he could earn $1.2 million to $7 million from the arrangements.
DeJoy has said he takes his ethical obligations “seriously.”
“I have done what is necessary to ensure that I am and will remain in compliance with those obligations,” DeJoy said in a statement to The Times.
In next week’s hearing, Democrats are expected to address the postmaster general on potential conflicts of interest and seek answers regarding new policies that many have criticized as contributing to the Trump campaign’s attempts to attack and undermine mail voting.
