A Colorado Republican in danger of losing his primary exploited a loophole in congressional rules to use taxpayer funds to send a mailer to constituents bragging about his work against an “overreaching president.”
Rep. Doug Lamborn sent out a mailing boasting of his accomplishments and attacking President Obama just before a tight election, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Last month, a Washington Examiner investigation found that an antiquated practice known as “franked mail,” in which taxpayers pay for glossy fliers informing constituents about the work of congressmen, was overwhelmingly used by members in danger of losing re-election bids and needing publicity boosts.
The controversial mass-mailing practice is allowed as long as the language isn’t overly political or self-serving, but banned entirely in the three months before an election.
But there’s one other loophole: It’s only a “mass” mailing if it goes out to 500 people.
Lamborn sent it to 499.
The type of letter Lamborn sent out is commonly known as a 499 because it just barely squeaks under that threshold.
Lamborn’s letter went out only a week before his June 24 primary, in which he, in turn, barely mustered a victory, with 53 percent of the vote, according to Roll Call.
Another Colorado Republican in a tight re-election race, Mike Coffman, is a top user of franked mail, the Examiner‘s analysis found.
