Korman Assails Mailings : Gallegly Politicking With Public Funds, Rival Says

Republican congressional candidate Sang Korman has charged that Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) is using taxpayer-funded newsletters to strengthen himself politically, a tactic that Korman vowed he would never use.

“These so-called newsletters are nothing more than blatant, self-serving attempts to increase an incumbent’s name recognition,” Korman said in a news release. “Before it has the nerve to ask the general public to make further sacrifices to reduce the deficit, Congress should tighten its own belt and give up some of the expensive perks.”

Korman, a Newbury Park real-estate developer challenging Gallegly in the June 7 GOP primary, said that if he is elected he would introduce a bill to restrict taxpayer-financed mailings, which are sent out under what is known as the franking privilege. Such a move is unlikely to win much support in Congress.

Gallegly acknowledged that he has recently accelerated the pace of his newsletters in the 21st District, which includes southern Ventura County and parts of the western and northern San Fernando Valley. But he said he did so after constituents overwhelmingly said in questionnaires that they want him to match the number of such mailings he sent in 1987 or surpass it.

“This is what responsive government is all about,” Gallegly said, maintaining that his newsletters inform constituents about his votes, bills he has sponsored, government services and their own views on issues. He also said he has not exceeded the number of newsletters permitted by House rules.

Further, Gallegly charged that Korman’s pledge to restrict congressional newsletters contradicts his opponent’s avowed goal to upgrade public education.

“I think an informed constituency is one of the most important things we can do,” Gallegly said. “I would say that is very contrary to supporting an educated public.”

Korman said that he would communicate with the 520,000 residents of the far-flung district through meetings with interest groups, public forums and media coverage.

Records supplied by Gallegly’s office show he sent a flurry of correspondence in early 1988. He mailed three newsletters to every household in the district and has a fourth going out this month. Those newsletters represent two-thirds of the six districtwide mailings he is permitted in 1988.

The average postage cost of each mailing, which goes to about 200,000 households, is $20,000. There are additional public costs for stationery, drafting and printing.

Gallegly has also sent newsletters this year to senior citizens and students, which are not counted against his annual limit on districtwide mailings.

Congress spent $63.1 million on postage for newsletters and other publicly funded mail in the 1987 fiscal year, said Tom Joyce, spokesman for the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee. Spending is invariably much higher in election years than in non-election years.

A check with other freshmen House members--California’s two other first-term representatives and two legislators Gallegly suggested for comparison--indicates that he has sent an unusually high number of newsletters so far this year and an above-average number in 1987.

Rep. Clyde Holloway (R-Louisiana), for instance, has sent one districtwide newsletter and one flyer to veterans, and Rep. Richard H. Baker (R-Louisiana) has mailed two districtwide newsletters and several pieces aimed at particular groups since Jan. 1, their press secretaries said.

Rep. Wally Herger (R-Rio Oso) has sent two districtwide newsletters and Rep. Ernie L. Konnyu (R-Saratoga), who faces a tough primary challenge, has mailed three newsletters to his entire district and one piece targeted at veterans, their spokesmen said.

“That’s amazing,” said Steve LeBlanc, Holloway’s press secretary, when told of Gallegly’s 1988 total. “That’s more than one a month.”

Gallegly noted that he and his colleagues are precluded from sending newsletters 60 days before the primary and the general election.

In 1987, his first year in Congress, Gallegly sent the maximum of six districtwide newsletters, as well as special mailings to senior citizens, small businesses and students. This was slightly more correspondence than was sent by any of the other four legislators surveyed. Each mailed from three to five districtwide newsletters and from one to four specialized flyers, aides said.

Members must submit all newsletters to a congressional committee, which reviews them to make sure they contain no overtly political material and that they conform with other guidelines, such as limits on the size and number of legislators’ photos.

Nevertheless, congressional observers and some lawmakers consider such taxpayer-financed mail a major reason that so many members of Congress are reelected. In 1986, only 2% of the incumbents were defeated.

“A decent part of it can be credited to franked mail,” said Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Tarzana). Beilenson, a critic of the system, sent out two newsletters in 1987, containing only an issues questionnaire and the results of that survey.

But he is distributing a publicly funded districtwide mailing on AIDS this month. His Democratic primary opponent, Val Marmillion of West Hollywood, is emphasizing this issue in his 23rd District campaign.

“It most definitely is unrelated to Marmillion’s campaign,” said Beilenson spokeswoman Joan Shaffran, adding that the newsletter was planned well before the challenge emerged.