I recently received a flier from Washington’s 3rd District Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's office. At first glance, it looked like a standard mailer. But as I continued to read the contents of the mailer, it looked like a campaign mailer.
The mailer states: "Marie has introduced four bipartisan bills focused on creating jobs through career and technical education. supporting sustainable wood products derived from local timber, improving federal forest management, and lowering car repair costs for working families."
The only congressional bill I could find which Marie has introduced is H.R. 2386: Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act of 2023.
I found this bill — H.R. 1730: Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act of 2023 — but H.R. 1730 was introduced by Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, not Gluesenkamp Perez.
I found this bill — H.R. 906: REPAIR Act — but H.R. 906 was introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Florida, not Gluesenkamp Perez.
I found this bill — H.R. 1704: SMART Act — but H.R. 1704 was introduced by Darryl Issa, R-California, not Gluesenkamp Perez.
I find it very dishonest of Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez to state that she introduced these bills — REPAIR ACT and SMART ACT — when she did not introduce them.
Yet the mainstream newspapers are writing articles stating that Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez "introduced" these bills into Congress, which is quite troubling.
On the corner of the mailer it states: "Paid for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives.”
I did a quick search for the House Ethics Rules Committee to double check.
In the House Ethics Manual, Chapter 4, on Campaign Activity, Letters, News Releases, Other Printed Materials and Emails:
"Under regulations issued by the Committee on House Administration, neither a letter nor any other kind of document (including a news release) may be printed on official House stationery unless the content of the document complies with the Franking Regulations. House Administration Committee regulations further provide that any advertisement paid for by a congressional office, as well as any printed materials produced by an office, must be frankable in content."
It appears that our new congresswoman is abusing her "franking" privilege to campaign for the 2024 election. She is only allowed to send mail pertaining to "official business, duties and activities of her office."
It looks like Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez is having the taxpayers of her district foot the bill for her 2024 campaign.
How can the voters trust Marie when she is telling lies about bills that she never introduced?
The fact that she is using congressional funds for her 2024 campaign is also quite troubling.
Susan Allen
Vader
