In the wake of TPMmuckraker’s report yesterday on the RNC’s deceptive fundraising mailers, Congressional Democrats are calling for an investigation. The mailers, marked “Census Document,” were sent just weeks after Congress passed a law aimed at banning such misleading missives.
Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and William Clay (D-MO), both senior members of the House Oversight committee, yesterday evening sent a letter to the Postmaster General, urging him to “act swiftly” to put a stop to the mailers. You can read the letter here.
Earlier yesterday, Maloney had expressed outrage about the mailers, asking of the RNC: “What is with these guys?”
The RNC’s earlier wave of almost identical mailers, was condemned by lawmakers of both parties, who raised the concern that they could confuse some recipients and reduce response rates to the actual Census. The House voted 416-0 for Maloney’s bill to ban such mailers, and after Senate passage, the law was signed by President Obama on April 7.
The RNC has said, without elaborating, that it believes its new mailers, dated April 12, are not in conflict with the law. That interpretation would now be tested if the Postmaster General, John Potter, accepts the Democrats’ request to probe the mailers.
Here’s the full statement from Maloney and Clay:
These latest mailings from the RNC signed by Chairman Steele are dated after the President signed my bill into law and by all accounts lack a return address or any mention of the RNC on the outer envelope– while also saying ‘DO NOT DESTROY – OFFICIAL DOCUMENT’,” Maloney said. “The Census is still in full swing and will be for several months, so it’s sad that the RNC can’t seem to follow the law– in order to make a partisan buck. I urge Mr. Steele to listen to Congress– including every member of his own party, since my bill passed unanimously– which wants this Census to be conducted without the threat of bogus census forms.”
“It is very unfortunate that the RNC continues to use this deceptive tactic. I urge the Postmaster General to act swiftly to stop it,” Chairman Clay said.
On April 7, the President signed a bill authored by Maloney which requires any mailing with an envelope marked “Census” to clearly indicate the sender and return address. It also triggers an existing requirement in federal law to include a disclaimer that the mailing is not from, or affiliated with, the federal government.
Rep. Jason Chafetz (R-UT) yesterday expressed his own disapproval of the new mailers, tweeting that he would like to see a copy, and adding: “I co-sponsored the legislation and I will speak out.”
