Troy Goodale, candidate for Tennessee's 2nd Congressional district, says Rep. Duncan is hypocritical about saving taxpayer money while using "the taxpayer's dime for his own political benefit and advantage." More in the Goodale campaign statement after the break...

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U.S. House Candidate Goodale Denounces the Wasteful Perks that the Privileged Political Elite Bestow Upon Themselves

Knoxville, TN -- The Democratic Party Nominee for Tennessee's 2nd Congressional District, Dr. Troy Goodale, today called out the long serving, 24-year incumbent Congressman as being hypocritical about saving taxpayer money.

"Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. is known to vote against most every bill before the Congress, claiming to save taxpayer dollars," Goodale said. "However, when it comes to using our money for his reelection campaigning he is free spending to a fault."

What is commonly known as the franking privilege allows members of Congress to send out mail without postage by putting a facsimile of their signature where everyone else affixes a stamp. According to the Congressional Research Service, Congress pays the U.S. Postal Service for franked mail through its annual appropriations. Each mass mailing sent by a Member of Congress must bear the following notice: "Prepared, Published, and Mailed at Taxpayer Expense", as prescribed by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, FY1997, P.L. 104-197, sec. 311(a), 110 Stat. 2394,2414.

"We have a career politician representing us who has made a name for himself as a fiscal conservative," Goodale stated. "It's a shame that Congressman Duncan's frugality does not extend to his own personal appropriations, and by that I mean he uses the taxpayer's dime for his own political benefit and advantage."

Goodale continued, "I do not know of any citizen taxpayer in this congressional district who receives these mailers from our two Senators, Alexander and Corker. At least they have the decency to send out their self-promoting pamphlets electronically through e-mail."

Dr. Goodale also sees the timing of Mr. Duncan's latest 'Washington Report' as unethical. According to 39 U.S.C. § 3210(3)(a), the franking privilege may only be used for matters of public concern or public service.

"Is it a public service or self-service for his taxpayer funded propaganda piece to arrive in our mailboxes two days after the August primary election?" Goodale asked. "It is simply wrong and should be illegal for a sitting Member of Congress to send out these mass mailings during the general election season. What would cost me tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to do gets done for Congressman Duncan for free, well free for him but costly to the hard working taxpayers in East Tennessee."