Anne Barth Press Release

ANNE BARTH RELIES ON SHOE LEATHER,
WHILE CAPITO USES TAXPAYER MONEY

Charleston, W.Va. – As Anne Barth, the Democratic nominee in the Second Congressional district, continues her conversation with voters by talking with them face-to-face, her opponent has returned to her long-established pattern of inundating West Virginians with mail and letting taxpayers pick up the tab. 

“Anne Barth has made it a priority to talk face-to-face with the voters of the Second District, because their concerns are her concerns,” said Mark Ferrell, a spokesman for the Anne Barth for Congress campaign.  “Anne’s campaign style is getting out and meeting people, walking the district and knocking on doors. Shelley Moore Capito favors spending generously and letting taxpayers pick up the tab.”

“During this time of economic downturn and high gas prices, Mrs. Capito shows little regard for the burden she is placing on taxpayers,” Ferrell said.  “As she always does during an election cycle, Shelley Moore Capito is flooding the mailboxes of West Virginians with slick mailers. West Virginians know why mail from Capito’s Congressional office suddenly shows up out of the blue every two years, and they don’t appreciate their money being spent so freely.”

Members of the United States Congress receive “franking privileges” which pays for postage so members may keep in touch with constituents on official business.  The last day Capito can use her franking privileges during an election year is 90 days prior to Election Day, which is August 6, according to the U.S. House Committee on Administration. Federal law prohibits Members of Congress from using their official capacity for campaign purposes.

According to the Disbursements of the House, Mrs. Capito has time and again ranked in the top tier of Members of Congress who use their franking privileges at a faster clip than most. 

• Election Year 2004

• Capito ranked 46 out of 435 members on spending the most taxpayer dollars on mass mail when she sent 561,845 mass mail pieces
• Capito spent $91,407 of taxpayer money on franked mail

• Election Year 2002

• Capito was the 59th highest spending member of Congress on mass mailings at a cost to West Virginia taxpayers of $117,041
• She spent the 28th most of all 435 members of Congress on postage

• Newly in Office - 2000

• Capito sent nearly a million pieces of mass mail, thereby ranking her 17th of all members of the US House in mass mail spending, costing taxpayers $133,818
• Overall, Mrs. Capito was 19 of 435 U.S. House of Representative members in all postage spending