Roskam's pre-election mailings met deadline, commission says

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam's mailers are free and clear of any policy violations, a congressional commission ruled Tuesday.

Less than two weeks before the Nov. 4 election, the advocacy group Congress Watch filed a complaint against the Wheaton Republican, saying Roskam sent out hundreds of mailings after an Aug. 6 cutoff date.

Elected federal officials have franking privileges, meaning they can send out informational mailings to constituents free of charge. However, they can't distribute mass mailings of 500 or more 90 days before a general election.

The House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards dismissed the complaint, ruling that Roskam's mass mailings met the deadline. Other leaflets distributed by him numbered 499 or less.

"There is no substantial reason to believe that a violation of franking law has occurred," the commission told Congress Watch, which is a branch of the nonprofit organization Public Citizen.

"Now more than ever, Illinois citizens deserve leaders they can trust," Roskam spokesman Matt Vriesma said in an e-mail. "Every accusation Public Citizen has made against Rep. Roskam has been proven false, further demonstrating the organization's willingness to place party politics over the truth."

Congress Watch legislative representative Craig Holman countered that, "I'm suspicious the commission did not make much effort to do an investigation into this."