I received a mailer from Congressman David Young with a four-page description of potential frauds and scams that Iowans should avoid. It was very informative until I noticed that it was a “Public Document. Official Business” and not a campaign mailer.
Congress has availed itself of many benefits at taxpayers expense including “franking” privileges. A Des Moines Register editorial on April 24 cited Congressman Rod Blum, Iowa’s 1st District representative, for abusing this privilege:
“Like all members of Congress, Blum receives a ‘representational allowance,’ and like all members, he has a great deal of discretion as to how he spends that allowance. While his colleagues from Iowa devote a large portion of their allowance to staff salaries, Blum focuses more on mass mailings, using the ‘franking privileges’ that enable members of Congress to pay for mass mailings with public money.”
Blum spent $445,000 in 2015 on taxpayer-financed mailings, the most of any member of Congress!
While Congressman Young was not cited for the level of abuse exhibited by his Republican colleague, the mailing I received Tuesday represents a far more insidious indiscretion—using taxpayer-financed mailings during a political campaign. All of us are inundated with campaigns ads and mailings, and have learned to recognize the inherent value of self-serving propaganda. But Congressman Young’s use of franking during a campaign is a new low in politicking—circumventing limits on campaign spending by sending “constituent service” mailings like his fraud alert as a way to curry support from unsuspecting constituents. And, incidentally, to avoid using campaign funds.
It is ironic that among the lengthy list of scams in the Young brochure—“Get Rich Quick, IRS, Charity, Social Media, Home Improvement, Lottery and Phishing” scams there is not a “Franking” scam. Like his mentor, Chuck Grassley, his campaign is using the media to peddle soft messages, not attacks on his opponents or issue-based appeals. With Donald Trump as his standard-bearer it is no surprise that the “Art of the Scam” has found a home in Congressman Young’s campaign.
by Tim Urban
Posted 9/6/16
