WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), June 1 led 13 Senate Democrats in demanding Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick halt the department’s involvement in President Trump’s illegal Executive Order attacking vote-by-mail and interfering with the U.S. Postal Service or USPS. They also demanded that the Commerce Department halt implementing the EO and preserve and prepare all records and documents related to Commerce’s involvement in its drafting and implementation for congressional oversight purposes.
The Senators’ letter to Lutnick follows his public appearance in the Oval Office where he briefed President Trump on the contents of the EO prior to the president’s signing of the order, which requires states to submit voter data to the Department of Homeland Security or DHS, orders the USPS to refuse to deliver lawful ballots unless states comply, and threatens penalties for election officials and mail carriers. Despite the Department of Commerce lacking any authority over USPS or elections, Section 4 of the EO states that DHS and USPS “shall coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation of this order.”
“We were greatly alarmed by your central role in EO 14399, as evidenced by your presence and remarks at the White House when President Trump signed EO 14399,” wrote the Senators. “Despite the Department having no authority over the USPS or role in administering federal elections, EO 14399 directs USPS and several federal agencies to ‘coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation of this order.’ In addition, we are aware of nonpublic reports that you and your office had a key role in drafting and internally advancing this illegal and unconstitutional order. It is deeply disturbing for the Secretary of Commerce to attempt to illegally interfere with lawful mail ballots in states that do not cooperate with President Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to ‘take over the voting.’”
The Senators also emphasized that tens of millions of Americans rely on USPS and vote-by-mail as a safe and trustworthy method to vote in federal and state elections. Nearly 1 in 3 American voters voted by mail in the 2024 general election cycle, and USPS securely delivered more than 99 million ballots to and from voters – including free mail delivery to rural and remote communities. The Senators flagged that Trump’s vote-by-mail EO would severely restrict the use of absentee and mail-in voting among American voters, and any actions from the Department of Commerce to implement the EO would be an unlawful attempt “to interfere with lawfully cast ballots in federal elections.” President Trump himself has voted by mail at least three times in recent elections, including in 2026.
Details: Full text of the letter is available here.