Press Release

For Immediate Release
April 26, 2010
Contact: Jon Houston, 202-225-7944
Reps. Maloney & Clay call for postal investigation into Census look-alike mailings sent by the Republican National Committee

WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Chairman of its Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), today sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General John E. Potter asking for an investigation of the latest wave of mailings closely resembling census documents sent by the Republican National Committee.

“These latest mailings from the RNC signed by Chairman Steele are dated after the President signed my bill into law and by all accounts lack a return address or any mention of the RNC on the outer envelope-- while also saying ‘DO NOT DESTROY - OFFICIAL DOCUMENT’,” Maloney said. “The Census is still in full swing and will be for several months, so it’s sad that the RNC can’t seem to follow the law-- in order to make a partisan buck.  I urge Mr. Steele to listen to Congress-- including every member of his own party, since my bill passed unanimously-- which wants this Census to be conducted without the threat of bogus census forms.”

"It is very unfortunate that the RNC continues to use this deceptive tactic. I urge the Postmaster General to act swiftly to stop it," Chairman Clay said.

On April 7, the President signed a bill authored by Maloney which requires any mailing with an envelope marked “Census” to clearly indicate the sender and return address.  It also triggers an existing requirement in federal law to include a disclaimer that the mailing is not from, or affiliated with, the federal government.

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Background.

A copy of the letter to the Postmaster is here. (PDF)

A copy of one of the April 12 RNC mailings is here. (PDF)

The full text of the law is here. (PDF)
Related Issues: Census