Taxpayers Foot $73,000 Bill for Grayson Promotional DVD

RPOF ICYMI: Orlando Sentinel - July 29, 2010
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"..it's not Grayson's campaign but taxpayers who footed the nearly $73,000 bill to produce and mail the DVD to 100,000 homes in Grayson's district of Lake, Marion, Orange and Osceola counties."

Grayson bills taxpayers for DVD of term's highlights
Orlando Sentinel
Mark K. Matthews and Mark Schlueb
July 29, 2010
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-grayson-sends-dvd-20100728,0,939568,print.story 

WASHINGTON — If U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson were a rock star, his latest PR blitz — a DVD sent to tens of thousands of Central Florida residents — would be called Grayson's Greatest Hits.

The 90-minute disc features video highlights from his first term in office, including one of him grilling Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and another in which the Orlando Democrat preaches on the need to teach schoolchildren about the U.S. Constitution.

The DVD comes wrapped inside a mailer covered with promotional slogans: "Congressman Alan Grayson, Hard at Work for You," "He works hard. He pays attention. He gets things done," and "Video DVD Inside: Watch Congressman Grayson in Action!"

In many ways, it's the perfect campaign video — with one key difference.

Thanks to perks given to all members of Congress, it's not Grayson's campaign but taxpayers who footed the nearly $73,000 bill to produce and mail the DVD to 100,000 homes in Grayson's district of Lake, Marion, Orange and Osceola counties.

It's a stunt that drew howls from Republicans, who complained that Grayson was abusing the congressional privilege of franking that allows lawmakers to send taxpayer-paid newsletters and other mail to residents.

"This is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars, and it goes to show that Alan Grayson is completely out of touch with Central Florida," said state Rep. Kurt Kelly of Ocala, one of seven Republicans looking to unseat Grayson this fall.

"This is just ridiculous behavior. What congressman would do this in the face of a huge budget deficit?" he asked.

Grayson said he doesn't see the video as self-promotional and that its intent was to show residents how the sausage is made in Washington.
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When pressed, however, Grayson did acknowledge that his office selected clips that make him look good.
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And, like the director's cut of a Hollywood movie release, the DVD is sprinkled with narration from Grayson. Of the 31 separate clips on the DVD, 10 feature Grayson wearing an American flag tie and seated in front of a photo of the U.S. Capitol, telling viewers what they're about to see or criticizing the Fed, bank bailouts and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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His narration doesn't shy away from a few pats on the back.
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Last year, Grayson spent about $108,000 on franked mail in 2009 — 40 percent more than the $81,623 spent by his fellow Democratic freshman Suzanne Kosmas of New Smyrna Beach.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-grayson-sends-dvd-20100728,0,154249,full.story


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