Right-wing blogs selectively quote article to attack Grayson
Written by Terry Krepel
Published
Big Government and Hot Air are among the right-wing bloggers who have hopped aboard the latest mini-outrage meme: Democratic congressman Alan Grayson spent taxpayer money through his congressional franking privileges to produce and mail a DVD to his constituents highlighting his accomplishments. Both quote from an Orlando Sentinel article on Grayson, but they don't clip the parts that put Grayson's acts into full perspective.
For instance, as far as use of congressional franking privileges go, Grayson was outspent in the Orlando area by a Republican. From the article:
Last year, Grayson spent about $108,000 on franked mail in 2009 -- 32 percent more than the $81,623 spent by his fellow Democratic freshman Suzanne Kosmas of New Smyrna Beach. Among Central Florida veteran incumbents, U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, spent $14,000 -- and U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, spent $138,801, records show.
The Sentinel also noted that “bucking the norm has been Grayson's trademark since 2008, when he beat then-U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, an Orlando Republican also known for sending puffy pieces of franked mail.” The Sentinel has previously reported on Keller's franking usage on “glossy color mailings” that, in one case, featured “a picture of a man who cut more than a dozen checks to his campaigns.”
It's unfortunate that Big Government and Hot Air decided to dishonestly frame the issue by airbrushing out of the picture Republicans who have done the same thing as Grayson.