Reichert spent over $90K of taxpayer money on "franked" mail

A glossy brochure promoting a veterans' resource fair this spring featured pictures of Rep. Dave Reichert and proclaimed: "Congressman Dave Reichert: Honoring Our Nation's Veterans."

An Earth Day mailer showed the Auburn Republican touring Mount Rainier National Park and said he was "Protecting The Environment/ Preserving Our Natural Resources/ Maintaining Clean Air & Water."

At first glance, these fliers may look like campaign mailers. But they are produced and mailed at taxpayer expense, using a congressional privilege called "franked mail."

Most members of Congress use such taxpayer-financed mail to let constituents know what's happening on Capitol Hill and within their districts. Since his election to Congress in 2004, Reichert has been among the state's biggest users of franked mail. He spent more on postage than other members of the state's delegation in 2005 and 2006, according to federal records.

Last year, he ranked No. 2 — behind Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island — although the numbers are hard to compare because some members of Congress report them differently.

Two members of Washington's delegation, Rep. Jim McDermott and Sen. Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, reported no franked mail last year.

According to federal records, Reichert sent out nearly 475,000 mailers to constituents last year at a cost of almost $90,000 in postage alone.

That's too much, says Democrat Darcy Burner, who is challenging Reichert in the fall election.

Burner's campaign spokesman Sandeep Kaushik said franked mail is intended for "substantive communications" that inform constituents about what's going on in Washington, D.C.

"These kind of campaign-style, glossy and very expensive brochures, I think, we believe that they cross the line," Kaushik said.

The mailers are legal. A bipartisan committee reviews each flier members of Congress send out to make sure they follow a myriad of rules, including the size of the representative's photo and the number of times his or her name is mentioned.

Reichert's spokesman, Mike Shields, said the mailers are a key way to keep in touch with people in the 8th Congressional District.

"If Dave Reichert wasn't sending out any mail to his constituents, then I'm sure the Darcy Burner campaign would say, 'Why doesn't Dave Reichert keep his constituents informed about what's going on in Washington, D.C.?' " he said.

Burner, a former Microsoft manager, is taking on two-term incumbent Reichert for the second time. She lost by about 6,000 votes in 2006 in the 8th District, which stretches south from Bellevue into northern Pierce County.

Even if franked mail doesn't explicitly ask for votes, it still helps members of Congress get re-elected, said Pete Sepp, a spokesman for the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit that supports more stringent franking rules.

"It provides a base for positive regard among constituents that, even when not near an election, can still have a beneficial effect," he said.

Reichert pays a consultant called The Franking Group to design his fliers and make sure they abide by the franking rules. Shields said having the mailers look nice helps make sure people read them.

Members of Congress report their mass-mailing budgets to an administrative office in Washington, D.C., but it's difficult to compare them because they report the numbers differently.

Of Washington state's Senate and House members, only Inslee reported spending more than Reichert on mass mail in 2007. But his figure — $104,000 for more than 171,000 pieces of mail — includes printing costs.

Reichert's franked-mail report doesn't include the cost of production or design, his spokeswoman said.

Congressional records indicate Reichert's use of franked mail has been on the decline. He was ranked 76th in franked-mail spending among all members of Congress last year. He ranked 21st in 2006 and 18th in 2005.

Shields said Reichert's office is using other ways to communicate with constituents, including e-mail and telephone town-hall meetings in which residents can call in and ask questions.

Federal law prohibits taxpayer-funded mass mailings within 90 days of an election, but members of Congress can send out mailings to fewer than 500 people during that time period.

Although McDermott didn't report any franked mail last year, his office recently sent out a four-page newsletter. It included a primer about earmarks, statements about bills McDermott is sponsoring, and a list of honors and positive rankings the congressman received.

Like Reichert's office, McDermott is trying to use e-mail more often to spread the word about events.

"We have a responsibility to keep people informed," said McDermott's spokesman, Mike DeCesare. "How do we do that in a way that reflects his belief that we're spending your money, not ours?"

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com