Friday, August 18, 2006
Dearborn Heights, MI – Residents of Michigan's 11th Congressional District saw some of their hard-earned tax dollars in their mailboxes this week, in the form of campaign literature sent out from the office of Congressman Thaddeus McCotter.
"This is misuse of taxpayer funds at its most basic level," said Tony Trupiano, the Democratic candidate challenging McCotter in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. "As a taxpayer and a constituent, I am personally offended by this abuse of official mail."
The document in question, a slick full-color brochure entitled "Ensuring Opportunity for All Americans," includes McCotter's Congressional office in Livonia as a return address. Below that is the legally-required statement "Public Document – Official Business" and the disclaimer "This
mailing was prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense."
Members of Congress are allowed to send mail to constituents, a privilege called "franking" that dates back to the founding of the nation. "But there has always been, and needs to be, a dividing line between communicating official matters to constituents and brazenly touting your reelection bid," Trupiano said.
"Since when is a laundry list of supposed accomplishments, describing legislation Thaddeus McCotter supported but had no hand in crafting, serving the hard-working voters of the 11th District?" Trupiano asked. "What's being communicated beyond 'vote for me?' Nothing, that's what."
"If McCotter wants to send campaign flyers, he needs to do it on his own nickel," Trupiano insisted, adding that his office is investigating the legality of the mailing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). "As your
Congressman, you can be sure I'll never send out anything so self-serving and wasteful."
