On May 6th, 2020, The Washington Post had an article with the headline “Top Republican fundraiser and Trump ally named postmaster general, giving president new influence over Postal Service”. As you might infer from the headline, the emphasis of the article was the new postmaster general was a big benefactor of the Republican Party; President Trump does not like the way the Post Office is being run; and now he has an ally that will fix the problem.

The only glimmer of education, experience, or other qualifications of Louis DeJoy, the appointee, was “a North Carolina businessman” but the article was quick to add “who is currently in charge of fundraising for the Republican National Convention in Charlotte”. The article did share that the current chairman of the board of governors (of the USPS) commented that Mr. DeJoy understands the critical public service role of the United States Postal Service and the urgent need to strengthen it for future generations.

Later in the article there was a quote from Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va), chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees the Postal Service, denouncing the move as a reward by President Trump to a “partisan donor”. Connolly then added “The Postal Service is in crisis and needs real leadership and someone with knowledge of the issues.” Connolly concluded “This crony doesn’t cut it.”

Other media, to include POLITICO, mirrored the same information.

On the same day, another news source, Federal News Network, headlined an article “USPS board names logistics executive as new postmaster general”. Almost immediately we find out the USPS Board of Governors made the appointment of Louis DeJoy, a supply-chain and distribution center executive who was the former chairman and CEO of New Breed Logistics. We later find out he had a 35 year career in the logistics business.

The article further shares that the current and the previous three postmasters general all held leadership positions within the USPS before becoming postmaster general. Mr. DeJoy will be the first postmaster general in more than 20 years without prior USPS experience and the fifth since the Postal Reorganization Act in 1970.

The article then explained the USPS Board of Governors conducted a nationwide search which included reviewing the records of more than 200 candidates, narrowing the list to more than 50 candidates for further consideration; interviewing more than a dozen candidates and finally inviting seven back for a second interview. The finalist was vetted before the final decision.

Near the end of the article it finally mentions that Mr. DeJoy is a major financial benefactor for the Republican Party having donated more than $2 million since 2016. Mr. DeJoy’s wife, Aldona Wos, was an Ambassador in the George. W. Bush administration and currently serves on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. The article concluded with a couple of positive and professional sounding quotations from Mr. DeJoy.

Mr DeJoy’s appointment as Postmaster General becomes effective June 15th. Most recently he has been the owner of a real estate and consulting company.

This is the story of two different news articles which are about the same story. To be fair, both have information contributing to the complete story. While I appreciate the Federal News Network article with emphasis on the person and the process, I don’t care for the Washington Post article that put politics over principles by being unclear whom made the appointment, overemphasizing financial gifts to a political party, and then including the rather partisan and misleading quotation from the uninformed Democrat from Virginia.

Given this example, do we have to wonder about the reputation of today’s media?