“Erik Paulsen not only has turned official travel into family vacations and used taxpayer resources to support his reelection, he also supports allowing special interests to make secret political donations,” said Sacha Haworth of the DCCC. “Voters in Minnesota are not going to support someone they can’t trust to be straight with them or use their tax dollars wisely.”
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ICYMI
Rep. Erik Paulsen spends more public dollars on mass mailings ahead of his election
Star Tribune
WASHINGTON — Rep. Erik Paulsen has almost doubled his spending on taxpayer-funded mass mailings out of his official congressional office ahead of his re-election battle.
In 2014 and 2015, Paulsen spent $66k and $62k respectively on mass mailings to constituents. So far in 2016, when DFL state Sen. Terri Bonoff announced in April she was challenging Paulsen, his official office’s spending jumped to $116,257, according to House disbursements.
Watchdog groups often criticize incumbents’ franking privileges as an unfair bill to lay on taxpayers. Paulsen isn’t alone in using franking more during an election season. The Congressional Research Service last year saw spikes in mailings from official offices during years members were in cycle.
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