The RNC Is Disguising Fundraising Pitches as Overdue Bills
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/04/13/the_rnc_is_disguising_fundraising_pitches_as_overdue_bills.html
Political mailers are rarely calm or even-keeled documents. The same campaigns that declare they’re cruising to victory on cable news will turn around and send potential supporters emails or letters with breathless requests for cash. But the Republican National Committee appears to have found a way to raise the stakes from “we desperately need your help” to “you have to give it to us.” To wit, an RNC mailer that has been going around with a big, bold “NOTICE OF DELINQUENCY” that conveniently looks an awful lot like an overdue bill.
There has been a rash of recent reports of people being confused—and, frankly, scared—when opening a version of that letter, including in California, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. In case the all-caps “NOTICE OF DELINQUENCY”—stamped on the envelope and the letter itself—doesn’t grab the recipient’s attention, there’s also an attached donation slip disguised somewhat convincingly as a bill, complete with a “PAST DUE” notice, circled in red, as well as text that reads, “*** IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUESTED***”. The letter’s signee? Republican National Chairman Reince Preibus.
People first started to complain about the scaremongering solicitation late last month, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has told a number of outlets that it’s currently investigating the complaints. While I’d be surprised if the RNC gets in any serious trouble, the Postal Service rules appear fairly clear on the topic (hat tip Danny Westneat of the Seattle Times):
Title 39, United States Code, Section 3001, makes it illegal to mail a solicitation in the form of an invoice, bill, or statement of account due unless it conspicuously bears a notice on its face that it is, in fact, merely a solicitation. This disclaimer must be in very large (at least 30-point) type and must be in boldface capital letters in a color that contrasts prominently with the background against which it appears.
The disclaimer must not be modified, qualified, or explained, such as with the phrase "Legal notice required by law." It must be the one prescribed in the statute, or alternatively, the following notice prescribed by the U.S. Postal Service: THIS IS NOT A BILL. THIS IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY THE AMOUNT STATED ABOVE UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER.
The RNC mailers that have been republished by various outlets do not appear to contain this information. I reached out to the RNC for comment on both the strategy itself and the legality of it, and will update this post if they respond.
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