By Javier Manjarres

The fallout continues from Connie Mack’s recent ‘mail-gate’ debacle that has tripped up his U.S. Senate campaign.  Mack apparently sent out a franked mailer (mail that members of Congress are only allowed to send out to their congressional district) to Republican voters outside of his congressional district,prompting his opponent George LeMieux to arrange a media call to call attention to this matter.

LeMieux tore into Mack on the call, coming close to calling him an outright liar.

Mack’s campaign is now admitting that it was an honest mistake that made by the vendor who sends the mail for both Mack’s legislative office as well as for his senate campaign.

LeMieux, who is trailing Mack in the most recent head-to-head polls, suggests that this was a deliberate act by Mack to use taxpayer dollars to benefit his Senatorial campaign.  LeMieux cited that the mailer in question that promoted Mack’s ‘Penny Plan’ which also referenced the support of U.S. Senator Rand Paul who endorsed Mack just a few days ago. Coincidence?

LeMieux isn’t buying that it was a mistake.  He said that Mack’s explanation “does not hold water” and finds it “hard to believe.”  LeMieux then reverted back into campaign mode by bringing up Mack’s past personal missteps, trying to paint a broader picture that Mack is habitually hamstrung by drama of his own making.

“The idea of this being a mistake, is hard to believe.  It’s certainly also hard to believe, in light of the fact of all of the other problems that Mr. Mack has had, with telling the truth, or with comporting himself in manner that befitting of a Member of Congress. We have highlighted for the media, not only his past acts of violence, but also his financial improprieties, like bouncing checks as a Member of Congress, failing to pay his bills while a Member of congress, being sued by his lawyer, his yacht club, and his condominium association for failing to pay bills, while a Member of Congress.”- George LeMieux

Of the 55,000+ pieces of mail that were sent out, LeMieux explained that the reason he believes Mack deliberately broke U.S. House Franking rules was based on twelve communications he received from across the state that alerted him about the mailer.

Earlier today, the Mack campaign released a letter from the U.S. House of Representative’s Franking Commission supporting Mack’s claim that it was a mistake.  The letter referred to the “unintentional error that was made by William McClintock & Associates (The Vendor).”

The commission added that mistakes of this nature are unfortunately part of the political mix, calling it “an unfortunate mistake that does happen from time to time and the proper steps to reimburse the cost of the error have been followed accordingly.”

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