The story

Yesterday’s AP headline:

Trump admits he’s blocking postal cash to stop mail-in votes

And here was the lede:

President Donald Trump frankly acknowledged Thursday that he’s starving the U.S. Postal Service of money in order to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worries could cost him the election.

(Note – even the Wheeling Intelligencer printed the first half of this article!)

And the Trump administration is proceeding

From CNN:

USPS removes mail collection boxes and reduces post office hours as critics accuse the Trump administration of voter suppression https://t.co/qcniCavP1P pic.twitter.com/Q2vNdjfHIt

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 15, 2020

What are West Virginia’s senators saying?

Senator Joe Manchin is very clear:

I’m touring postal facilities across #WV today, and the outpouring of support from West Virginians to #SaveUSPS is a testament to the incredible service they provide and the important role they serve in our communities. We must protect this American institution. #DontMessWithUSPS pic.twitter.com/Qx40RaPYhX

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) August 14, 2020

Manchin also discussed this on yesterday's "Meet the Press."

On the other hand, Senator Shelley Moore Capito has dodged the issue. While Capito has said that we should not delay the election, I could find no response by Senator Capito on voting by mail or the President’s efforts to kill it.

Senate coronavirus bill update

Here’s Senator Capito on MetroNews at the end of July:

Capito said a deal will likely happen before the congressional recess begins on Aug. 10, even if it means passing a temporary measure until lawmakers return to the Capitol.

Here’s the headline from The Hill on Thursday:

Senate leaves until September without coronavirus relief deal

Since Senator Capito will likely show-up on a number of West Virginia TV and radio stations for interviews during the break, it would be nice if just one interviewer asked her a tough question about the effects cutbacks at the post office will have on the upcoming election or what those who stand to lose unemployment money should do when their money runs out and then pushed her for an answer after she dodged the question and/or blamed the Democrats. I doubt that it will happen, however -- even Hoppy Kercheval, who ask tough questions with good follow-ups to most politicians, lobs softballs to Capito.