“Franking” is a privilege provided Members of Congress to send mass mailings or host tele-townhalls using taxpayer dollars.
When used responsibly, they are a means to communicate issues of importance to constituents and increase their understanding of the services their Representative can provide.
When used irresponsibly, they are used as a campaign tool to improve the chances of the incumbent to be re-elected.
Guess which is Mary Jo Kilroy.
According to an article in the Newark Advocate, Members of Congress spend a little over $100k on Franking.
Mary Jo Kilroy spent 371% of that, or $377,700.
And for what?
Campaign Lit.
Notice the similarity between her taxpayer-funded mail and campaign literature?
It’s almost hard to tell which is which. Same color. Same style as campaign lit.
Now don’t get me wrong. I can understand a first or second-term member sending more franked mail than most, but 371% of the average? That’s amazingly over-the-top.
This isn’t play money, Congresswoman Kilroy. These are taxpayer dollars given to the federal government to be spent responsibly, and that should start with you.