S.C. rep. spent $177,000 on mailOf everyone in Congress, Brown sent most in '06 By Robert Behre (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, February 18, 2008
Of everyone in Congress, Brown sent most in '06 
The Post and Courier First District Rep. Henry Brown First District Rep. Henry Brown bills himself as "the Republican workhorse," and when it comes to mass mailings, the title couldn't fit any better. In 2006, his office spent about $177,000 to send out more than 1.25 million pieces of mail —more than any other member of Congress, according to a recent survey by the Associated Press. No other South Carolina Congressman made the top 10. But its not just the volume of mail that might raise eyebrows; it's what he's learned from it all. For instance, responses to one of Brown's recent congressional surveys show that Lowcountry voters clearly like earmarks, even though the state's junior senator is leading the crusade against them. His most recent questionnaire noted that he had fought for money for the new Cooper River bridge, Interstate 73 and beach renourishment and, in light of questions by the national news media over projects such as these, asked "Do you believe that I, as your Congressman, should continue to fight to get our fair share of funding for needed projects such as these?" Even though Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has been leading the anti-earmark fight, more than 90 percent of the respondents told Brown to keep fighting for such projects. Brown said he isn't surprised. If he didn't fight for those earmarks, the projects would depend on the favorable view of assorted bureaucrats, he said. "Somehow or another, the media has got it so there's a bad connotation for spending on pork items, but they don't sense that those items we're spending are pork. Isn't that kind of amazing?" he asked. "It gave me a good feeling to know that they trust me more than they trust these agencies. ... I know my district better than most bureaucrats." Brown said he didn't have DeMint in mind when he posed that question. "I just deal with my own issues," he said. Brown also said he wasn't surprised that he ranked on top in amount of mail sent. "I must be the No. 1 constituent service person," he said. "We respond to everybody who writes us. Every day." Even those who send e-mails get a hard-copy response. He also said the reasons behind his lead in mailing include the growth of his district, which he said is the 21st largest in the nation, with almost 800,000 voters, and because those voters include a disproportionately large share of the elderly and veterans who have relatively more interest in federal issues. While some might like Brown's surveys, others might resent that they're footing the bill, said Pete Sepp, vice president for communications with the National Taxpayers Union. "To some constituents, it might mean keeping in touch. To others, it might mean creating a nuisance," Sepp said. "A lot of this mailing is in the eye of the beholder — and the mailbox of the beholder. Most taxpayers are concerned that the franking privilege can serve to promote incumbency at their own expense. Lawmakers need to be mindful of the public relations balance between communication and appearing to be free-spending." Brown will face a general election challenge from philanthropist and Food Lion heiress Linda Ketner, a Democrat who filed paperwork recently with the Federal Election Commission. His campaign consultant Rod Shealy said Brown's ranking proves "that no Congressman in America does a better job of staying it touch with his district than our own Congressman Henry Brown." Brown acknowledges there's a fine line when it comes to mailings. "Certainly, it helps us with our name ID, but let's face it, we're called representatives, and if we don't have some way of communicating with people, they won't know who we are and where their congressman is. He can't do the job unless people know where to find him and know who he is." Reach Robert Behre at rbehre@ postandcourier.com or 937-5771. |
Article toolsSponsored Links |
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 18 comment(s)
Posted by ForPnC on February 18, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to thank him for helping to fill up my shredder. Quit sending me your crap. I don't read it.
Posted by Girleygirl on February 18, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are so right Palmetto Man.
I sent Jim Demint an email regarding an issue that I was having with my divorce and he called me 24 hrs later telling me he does not have all the answers for me but he will get back with me. 48 hours after that phone call I received results and back to back phone calls from him as well. The first email I sent to him I was thinking I was not going to hear back from anyone in his office until 5-7 business days and I was happy when he contacted me within 24 hours telling me something.
Posted by KidYendor on February 18, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Henry Brown please put me on your list as non earmark wanting voter. Pork should be barbecued only. I'd rather keep my money than having it taxed and then receiving government (Mr. Brown's) style pork.
Posted by CHRISJIII on February 18, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a wanton waste of taxpayer money!!!I could see it if he represented a large district in a large state, but S.C. District 1? Typical of the GOP though,Demint & Brown, talking out of both sides of their mouths.
Posted by NakedYoga on February 18, 2008 at 1:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Girleygirl: I'm surprised DeMint even believes in divorce, considering the rest of his backwards ideas.
Henry Brown and Jim DeMint are both fools who stink up the halls of Congress.
Posted by realityck on February 18, 2008 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In the name of "constituent service" Henry "The Workhorse" Brown, is wasting so much of OUR money he should be ashamed!
I find it interesting that the projects he wants you to know about he will mention, but he will not release all of his earmark proposals to the public.
Henry Brown's wasteful spending for all of his junk mail is one of the reasons why the Republicans lost in '06...spending OUR money like it was his own!
Shame on you Henry!
Posted by eyeinthesky on February 18, 2008 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He is not using TAXPAYER money you pompous Blowhards... its campaign contributions!
Plus how much do you think ONE Prime Time TV Commercial costs???
realityck... u need a reality check!!!
Posted by Magpie on February 18, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Brown will face a general election challenge from philanthropist and Food Lion heiress Linda Ketner, a Democrat who filed paperwork recently with the Federal Election Commission."
How "strange" this announcement and the article about Henry Brown appear at the same time.
Posted by realityck on February 18, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Eyeinthesky - The tens of millions of dollars in earmarks that each Congressman or Senator puts into legislation, the funding for such projects comes from US, the taxpayer! Sen. DeMent will at least hold the line on it to his credit.
When I asked for a copy of the FY '07-'08 earmark funding from Rep. Clyburn, he released it. When I asked the same of Rep. Brown he refused.
The "pork-barrel" Congressional earmarks, billions of dolalrs worth collectively when you consider all the earmark requests from all Representatives and Senators, IS taxpayer money! And this does not even begin to acount for what our state senators and representatives do.
Whether the money to pay for all of his mailings are campaign contributions or not, it reflects on the fiscal lack of discipline of the person, regardless of who it is. Henry is just another porker, plain and simple.
Perhaps you need to get your eyes out of the sky and back on the real world.
Posted by disco on February 18, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
$177k - that's nothing. I spend more than that sending out my xmas cards every year:)
Posted by robbybobby on February 18, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
that's approx 3400 pieces of mail a day. 425 per hour for the 8 hr day. wonder how many man hrs of tax payer salary that equates to. besides, why does he have to ask his constituents what to do? why doesn't he just do the right things?
Posted by MotoryachtSoCo on February 18, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
disco - now that's funny but they mean $177 thousand not a dollar seventy seven.
I wrote Mr. Brown regarding illegal immigrants, spelling out my plan to add an excise tax on money being sent to Mexico.
Mr. Brown wrote back that he supported ending the so called death tax, continuing tax breaks on capital gains and additional funding for the nation’s federal highways.
I wrote him again thanking him for the nice letter and again asking about illegal immigrants.
Mr. Brown wrote back the he supported ending the so called death tax, continuing tax breaks on capital gains and additional funding for the nation’s federal highways.
So I wrote Mr. Brown and told him I had bought a donkey to mow the grass in my front yard and that the donkey looked a lot like him and I was sure it was here from Mexico illegally.
Mr. Brown wrote back the he supported ending the so called death tax, continuing tax breaks on capital gains and additional funding for the nation’s federal highways and that he was glad to know that I was hiring more workers due to the expanding economy.
So the way I see it I got my dollars worth of mail from Congressman Brown.
Posted by rebel1 on February 18, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
why do you people keep voting for the incumbent. If you voted against them we wouldnt have these career pol.
Posted by RTC on February 18, 2008 at 4:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If everyone has received as much mail as we have from Henry Brown then I'm surprised that the cost wasn't higher.
Motoryacht, that's funny. He obviously didn't want to answer your question.
He used to show up for special events at the church I used to attend. I should've taken the opportunity to bombard him then. I think he just came for the food anyway. :)
Posted by ginj on February 18, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By the continuing actions in regards to the abuse of out tax dollars should be reason enough for an outcry to enact TERM LIMITS! Several years ago I sought Henry Brown's assistance concerning a problem I was encountering in regards to my health. Not once did I ever get a reply from him or his office. I called his Mt. Pleasant Office to see if they received my letter and was asked to resend it. I did and still got nothing.
Never had that problem with Jim DeMint and strongly agree he has the right approach to earmarks. They are a waste of OUR tax dollars and should be abolished. Especially when they are causing as much of the National Debt as any Presidential Budget.
Posted by ginj on February 18, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JohnQ - It's not just Republicans, but anyone sent to Washington with an agenda other than do what is best for the people they are "SUPPOSE TO REPRESENT." They start thinking they are above the law. Must be something in the water.
Had you or I let a fire get out of control, as Brown did in the Francis Marion Forest, would have put us in hot water. He simply threatened to look really hard into their budget if they tried to fine him.
Posted by ColdBeer on February 19, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The majority of our politicians suck, regardless of party affiliation. What sucks even more are the silly Americans that can't see that truth. The hard line party bashers (on both sides of the isle, local and national) do nothing but make fools of themselves.
Posted by PalmettoPatriot on February 19, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I find it humorous that no matter what any politician does, it’s damned if they do, damned if they don’t. What is it going to take to make you happy? Each and every time I have contacted Congressman Brown (who by the way ginj does not have a Mt. Pleasant office…Maybe you were trying to get in touch with old Lindsey…) I have received a response from him. Not many people in Congress send out surveys asking what they can do better to support you. Congressman Brown represents the largest district in South Carolina, stretching from the state line of North Carolina to the marshes of Charleston. That’s 800,000 people, a lot of which are new to the area. What is wrong with letting these people, and native people know who their representative is, and letting them know that if they have any federal issues someone is there to help? If you contacted the Congressman and didn’t receive a response, you would be furious. So once again, damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.
And in the business section, the article about the SC Aquarium took a nice shot at Congressman Brown as well. It said that money for the aquarium was pork. And if Congressman Brown hadn’t fought for money to fund the aquarium, I’m sure the title of the article would have read, “Federal Government Abandons Aquarium!” So many people have benefited from the aquarium; thousands of school children, scientists, tourists, etc. The bank is even giving the aquarium 2 for 1 back on their loan. For all y’all smart ones, that’s forgiving them $2 for each $1 of debt they pay. But, oh yeah, it’s just pork.