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Complaint Filed about Congressman Blunt's Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Mailer
For Immediate Release: February 15, 2010 Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125 Complaint Filed about Congressman Blunt's Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Mailer Concerns were raised about the mailer after it arrived in mailboxes around Missouri's 7th Congressional District in late December 2009. The glossy mailer responded directly to questions about his record of taking money from oil companies and siding with them on energy issues. The mailer's appearance and subject matter was also a clear departure from his regular constituent communications, which detail his voting record and are printed on plain newsprint paper. [click here to view a copy of the energy mailer] In recent months, the League of Conservation Voters ran TV and radio ads stating that Congressman Blunt has taken over $1 million from big oil and energy interests [click here to view], and the Missouri Democratic Party has also put out this video news release [click here to view] to set the record straight on Congressman Blunt's 12 year voting record with big oil companies and energy corporate special interests, making Blunt's mailer a direct response to a campaign matter, and a clear violation of Congressional Rules. "Congressman Blunt's talk about being fiscally conservative doesn't coincide with his wasting taxpayer dollars on a campaign mailer," said Ryan Hobart, Missouri Democratic Party Communications Director. "This is a classic example of Congressman Blunt's DC doublespeak when it comes to his record of wasteful government spending, and voters deserve to know how much this political mailer cost taxpayers." Roy Blunt's campaign has published responses and engaged in other activity to defend his campaign for the United States Senate against the League of Conservation Voters advertisement campaign. According to the Springfield News-Leader "...Blunt and his Senate campaign have made the LCV ad a campaign issue." In an opinion piece for the Springfield News-Leader, Congressman Blunt called the League of Conservation Voters' ads: "the attacks on me that were obviously designed to help the liberal candidate in the U.S. Senate race." The franking privilege for mass mailers from Congressional offices may only be used for matters of public concern or public service. (39 U.S.C. § 3210(3)(a).) It may not be used to solicit votes or contributions, to send mail regarding political campaigns or political parties, or to mail autobiographical or holiday greeting materials. Congressman Blunt is running against State Senator Chuck Purgason, and businessmen Mark Memoly and Bob Praprotnik in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate.
Congressman Blunt's Political Propaganda Piece Violates Ethics Rules and Wastes Taxpayer Dollars
Jefferson City, MO - The Missouri Democratic Party announced today that a complaint was sent to the House Franking Commission in response to a taxpayer-funded mailer from Congressman Roy Blunt that responded directly to campaign questions.
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