Woodbridge GOPer Uses Constituent List for Fundraising

By: PaulVa
Published On: 6/30/2006 7:36:55 PM

Earlier today, to my surprise, Jeff Frederick, the GOPer who represents me and my part of Prince William County in the Virginia House of Delegates, decided to email me from his campaign.

Now, I did sign up for his constituent newsletter, since I wanted to keep tabs on what he was up to.  But I never signed up for his campaign, nor even voted for him, so why is his campaign asking for my donation? 

A copy of his email is included below the fold:


I need your help.  Really.

Between preparing for the baby, running my small business to pay the
bills, and going to Richmond frequently for the special session, I haven't
been doing much fundraising for my campaign.  Midnight June 30 (Friday
night) is our fundraising deadline for the last 6 months of activity and
I'm just $10,000 shy of our goal for this reporting period.

If you can spare a few bucks, I'd be grateful if you could take a minute,
go online, and make a financial contribution to our efforts. We need to
show strong numbers on this report, and with your help, we'll be able to
do so.  I'm counting on it.

Go to: http://votejeff.com/.... Or, you can mail a check dated
June 30 (or before) to:

Friends of Jeff Frederick
P.O. Box 58
Woodbridge, VA 22194

Thanks again for all your continued encouragement, support, and especially
your prayers.

Best--

-JMF.

''''''''''''''''''''''
Jeffrey M. Frederick
House of Delegates | Fifty-Second District
Commonwealth of Virginia

Now I've never voted Republican in my whole life except for once, when I voted for John Chafee in Rhode Island back in 1994.  Nor have I ever given to a Republican candidate, even when I have family members run as GOPers.

So how did Mr. Frederick's campaign get my email address if I've never contributed a dime to the GOP?  The only way I see it is if he was compiling lists of his constituents who contacted him by email, and then just converted it over to his re-election campaign.

Last I checked, mixing a re-election campaign with one's constituents services isn't exactly legal.

Perhaps he's doing this out of desperation.  Considering the fact that he is a Republican in Northern Virginia, a party that seems to be in their "last throes" around here.

Comments



Hey, how about this... (Eric - 6/30/2006 9:02:19 PM)
instead of contributing you could give him some advice:

Dear Jeff, if you're so hard up for cash and having trouble managing time, try quitting the VA house.  Sounds like everyone would be better off if you did.

Problem solved.



I'm no fan of Jeff "Tom DeLay's Favorite" Frederick But... (Josh Israel - 7/1/2006 9:26:50 AM)
Delegates keep track of who contacted them, who signs up for their information list, etc.  both for constituent service purposes and for fundraising purposes.  Virginia laws are pretty lax on this.

As long as he's not sending out the fundraising request from his legislative office in Richmond, I really doubt he broke any laws.

Doesn't make him a good Delegate, though :).



P.S. (Josh Israel - 7/1/2006 9:27:51 AM)
Voted for Linc in 1994?  If I'd been old enough (was 17 at the time) I would have voted for Linda Kushner. :)


P.S. (Josh Israel - 7/1/2006 9:28:18 AM)
Voted for John Chafee in 1994?  If I'd been old enough (was 17 at the time) I would have voted for Linda Kushner. :)


Jeff sounds like a douch... (pitin - 7/2/2006 12:31:26 PM)
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the following statement also illegal.

Or, you can mail a check dated
June 30 (or before) to:

It is my understanding that checks have to be recieved in hand, by the deadline, not just dated.  Otherwise campaigns could raise for a few more days just telling folks to back date their checks.