Little Rock, Ark. – Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) Chairman Doyle Webb filed today an Ethics Complaint against U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) for violating the U.S. Senate Franking privileges which allows members of congress to produce and mail literature at taxpayer expense. Senator Lincoln sent out what appears to be campaign literature that was prepared, published, and mailed at taxpayer expense.
The complaint, filed with the United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics, addresses a four-page, full-color “Agriculture Newsletter that was mailed on or about August 24, 2010 through September 7, 2010. Webb accuses Senator Lincoln of the following:
Unlawful distribution of franking mail during the 60-day blackout period
- Unlawful excess of “personal references”
- Unlawful biographical references
- Unlawful photographic image of Senator Lincoln
According to the complaint:
“This complaint arises under the franking laws extended to members of the United States Senate and seeks to find Senator Blanche Lincoln in violation of her franking privileges on the basis of unlawful personal references, biographical references and photographic image of Senator Lincoln in her “Delivering for Rural Arkansas” newsletter. In addition, Senator Lincoln has not used her franking privileges since 2005, yet now, within the 60-day blackout period of her re-election campaign, constituents have received Lincoln’s “Delivering for Rural Arkansas” mail piece that was prepared, published, and mailed at taxpayer expense.”
“Senator Lincoln has been in Washington long enough to know the rules pertaining to franking privileges,” Webb said. “The fact that she’d commit such an obvious abuse of this privilege demonstrates that she’s not looking out for the taxpayers of Arkansas.”
In a recent article by Alex Daniels in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, a spokesman for a national taxpayer advocacy group was critical of the abuse of taxpayer dollars:
Though the newsletter wasn’t billed as campaign literature, Slobodien said, it could sway voters. “These pieces don’t have to come out and directly say ‘elect me’ to be helpful to the campaign,” she said.
According to the complaint:
“When viewed in conjunction with the majority of her campaign material, it’s reasonable to conclude that Senator Lincoln’s four-page, full-color, taxpayer- funded “Agriculture Newsletter” reinforces her principle campaign message. Moreover, the timing of the newsletter, at or around the 60-day blackout period, reinforces the need for investigation. In short, as the final legislative update before the election, Senator Lincoln’s “Agriculture Newsletter” should invite more suspicion, analysis, and strict judgment from the Committee, not less.”
“Senator Lincoln should not be sticking taxpayers with the bill for her campaign literature, especially when she has millions of dollars in her campaign war chest,” said RPA Senior Communications Advisor Alice Stewart. “It’s been five years since Senator Lincoln mailed a constituent newsletter, yet right before the election she suddenly feels the need to drop tens of thousands of pieces of mail on the taxpayers’ tab?”
“The Ethics Committee should order Senator Lincoln to tell Arkansans the size, cost, and mailing date of the newsletter as well as relevant design, production, labor, and mailing costs,” Stewart said. “In addition, Senator Lincoln should fully reimburse taxpayers for her taxpayer-funded mailer.”
View Complaint Exhibits:
