WASHINGTON | When U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel wants to communicate with constituents in his Chicago district, he often does it in style -- with colorful, glossy, multipage newsletters.
"Rahm Emanuel Fighting for Us" reads the headline on a newsletter that includes testimonials and photos from pleased constituents. "Congressman Emanuel is Fighting to Protect Our Environment" reads another, showing a smiling girl pointing to a nearby body of water, Chicago's skyline in the background.
Emanuel, a Democrat, sent more taxpayer-funded mass mailings through Sept. 30 of this year than any other Illinois House member, spending $83,000 to get his message out to voters, according to an Associated Press review of public records.
He's hardly alone.
Twelve of the state's 19 members spent a combined $586,000 on mass mailings through Sept. 30. More than half of that, or almost $300,000, was spent by just four representatives: Emanuel; Danny Davis, of Chicago; and suburban Republicans Mark Kirk and Peter Roskam.
Seven Illinois representatives did not send even a single mass mailing through Sept. 30 -- Democrats Luis Gutierrez, Bobby Rush and Jesse Jackson Jr., and GOP Reps. Donald Manzullo, John Shimkus, Ray LaHood and former Rep. Denny Hastert.
Federal law grants a "franking" privilege to the lawmakers, allowing them to spend money on postage-free mailings to constituents -- from single letters to mass mailings that often extol the lawmakers' virtues.
Critics say it is a waste of taxpayers' money and done to help incumbents stay in power. Advocates say it is a necessary tool for communicating with constituents.
Even so, Illinois' congressional delegation doesn't stand out nationally when it comes to big office budgets for such mailings.
In 2006, only four of the state's House members from the chamber's 435 lawmakers were among the top 100 in overall franking expenses, a review by The Associated Press shows. In the top 40 in overall franking expenses -- mass mailings and other communications combined -- Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski, of Chicago, was ranked 39th, with $118,042, followed by GOP Rep. Jerry Weller, of Morris, ranked 40th with $117,732, and Emanuel, ranked 50th nationally, with $107,224.
Comparable totals for 2007 are not expected for several months.
