Friday, December 23, 2005
Congresswoman Melissa Bean Lets Taxpayers Pay for December Mailing
While other candidates for congress were spending campaign money to reach 8th congressional district voters, Congresswoman Melissa Bean let the voters pay for her mailing. If this looks like a campaign piece, maybe it's because it is.
Members of Congress are allowed to "frank" mailings to their constituents. "Franking" means that U.S. Postage is free because she has signed her name where the postage would otherwise be.
Those of us in Congressman Donald Manzullo's district remember his pledge not send taxpayer-financed newsletters to constituents, if he were elected. He has kept that pledge.Newsletters at that time were pretty plain.
They were black and white or blue and white and looked like a newsletter, not a campaign piece.This one went to at least Republicans, a subgroup some of whose support she must have to win re-election.To see the rest of Congresswoman Bean's mailing, click here.
