You and I Have Contributed To Robach & Alesi’s Campaigns
The D&C had an article about how state Senators like Robach and Alesi have been doing a ton of mailings this campaign season, paid for by you and me. We’ve reported on some of them. If you’re in Robach or Alesi’s districts, you’ve gotten a steady stream of literature from them in the past month.
They’re not cheap:
Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, spent $64,654 in state funds and Sen. James Alesi, R-Perinton, spent $35,666 on mailings.
This part kills me:
Alesi has sent out at least four taxpayer-funded mailings this year.
Alesi’s opponent, Democrat David Nachbar, notes that it’s not like Alesi couldn’t afford to mail the pieces himself. His campaign war chest has more than $700,000 in it.
So, you and I are footing the bill for someone with nearly a quarter-million three quarters of a million in their campaign bank account.
Robach, as he does so well, tries to change the subject:
“I do think this is a little bit of desperate candidates grasping at straws,” he said of the criticism of taxpayer-funded mailings.
He said that the campaign waged by his opponent, Democrat Richard Dollinger, has been largely negative.
“The facts are negative, but they are the truth,” said Dollinger spokesman Sean Hart, adding that Robach and his allies have mailed their own negative pieces.
Another twist: people in GOP districts apparently deserve to get more mailings than those in Dem districts:
Senators in the majority have access to more mailings than those in the minority, according to Krueger, who has sued over the issue, saying constituents of every district should have a representative with the same resources as other representatives.
Setting aside the GOP vs. Dem aspect of the story, here’s the key part:
Blair Horner, of the New York Public Interest Research Group, called the Senate majority’s use of taxpayer-funded mail in the months leading up to an election “the greatest hypocrisy” because the same group of lawmakers won’t support taxpayer-funded campaigns.
Thank you! Kudos to Jill Terreri for going to the heart of the matter rather than doing a “he said-she said” piece.
If you want to help get Rick Dollinger & David Nachbar in there so we can bring some real reform to NY State, check them out on the web:
Related posts:
small correction - he has nearly 3/4 of a million in his bank account. (not one quarter million)
Jim and Joe should pull themselves up by their bootstraps and quit looking for a government handout
I respectfully and rightfully request a full refund. Now.
I get those Robach mailings, frequently, at least once a week (and sometimes more). Each time I frantically look for the “Paid by the Committee to Elect Joe Robach”, and its hardly ever there. It makes me furious each time.
Also, the mailings are always exclusively addressed to me, never my husband. I suppose they have some data suggesting that Democratic women are persuadable (not this one!). Of course, I only get these mailing around election time. Coincidence? I think not.
Last point…driving all around town this weekend, it is truly disheartening to see all of the Robach signs. Particularly in yards where there will be an Obama sign (or even other local Dems) alongside a Robach sign.