Chenoweth Meetings Under Fire She Used Her Fund-Raiser To Invite Pacs

U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth used her campaign fund-raiser and campaign stationery to invite political action committee representatives to meetings in her congressional office, and may have violated House ethics rules.

“The question has been raised as to whether this is proper, and we are going to be in contact with the House Ethics Committee,” Keith Rupp, Chenoweth’s chief of staff, said Wednesday. “There’s certainly a gray area, and our fervent hope is that we haven’t crossed it on the wrong side. But if we have, we’re going to fix it.”

Rupp said Chenoweth won’t hold any more of the meetings until she hears from the ethics committee.

House ethics rules ban the use of Congressional offices for campaign activities. They also ban the use of campaign funds for official congressional activities.

Chenoweth has held four “Meet and Greet” meetings in the past four weeks, including one Wednesday morning. Attendees Wednesday included representatives of the National Association of Wheat Growers, the Snack Food Association and the National Parks & Conservation Association, which represents concessionaires in parks.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Chenoweth’s campaign fund-raiser, Morgan, Meredith & Associates, has been sending invitations to PACs that have business with the two committees Chenoweth serves on, agriculture and resources.

One went to Daniel Weiss, head of the Sierra Club PAC, who tipped off the Post.

That letter said, “I’m inviting you to drop by my office on Wednesday, June 19th at 8:30 a.m. at 1719 Longworth for a short Meet and Greet I’ve scheduled. My goal is to get to better know the issues facing your industry at the present time. The meeting will also be attended by my chief of staff and legislative assistant.

“We won’t have many there, I’d like to keep it small, four or five people from your industry so we can all get a chance to talk,” the letter said. “This is not a fund-raiser. The purpose is to build a relationship with you.”

The letter gave a phone number and name for responses. They reached an employee of the fund-raising firm.

“Clearly it is a wink and a nod towards raising money on federal property, through a congressional office,” said Weiss, who declined the invitation.

Chenoweth issued a statement Wednesday blasting the Sierra Club for skipping the meeting, headed, “Sierra Club Breaks Chenoweth’s Olive Branch.”

“I am very disappointed that the Sierra Club refuses to work with me to find common ground … Apparently, they have no desire to be part of the solution,” she said.

Chenoweth said she had held “several meetings with representatives of groups who represent interests important to Idahoans.”

Roger Singer, of the Idaho chapter of the Sierra Club in Boise, was taken aback by Chenoweth’s statement. “We’ve tried several times in the past to make an appointment with the congressman, but have never been able to meet with her directly, either in D.C. or here,” he said. “I’d say we probably just got onto her industry mailing list by mistake.”

The fund-raising firm didn’t return phone calls Wednesday.

Chenoweth’s last campaign finance report, filed May 13, showed no payments to the firm. But it also showed Chenoweth lagging in fund raising and surprisingly short on PAC contributions, which generally are a source of big bucks for incumbents.

As of the last report, Chenoweth had about $55,000 in the bank, and was $83,000 in debt. Democratic challenger Dan Williams had $97,000 in the bank and no debt.

Williams on Wednesday denounced Chenoweth’s meetings, saying, “It is a clear violation of the rules on ethics.”

In the past year, Democrats have filed complaints with the Federal Elections Commission over Chenoweth’s campaign finances. She has run into questions over a bank loan and payments to her former consulting firm.

“It’s the same old pattern with Helen,” Williams said. “Either she just doesn’t get it, or she just is deliberately flouting the rules. Either way, it’s not very good for Idaho. This is exactly what voters wanted to change in the last election - they wanted to change the same old politics as usual.”

Rupp defended Chenoweth, saying she just wanted to meet with groups to understand their concerns. “They represent either interests that are important to Idaho, or interests that are important to committees she serves on.”

Rupp, who attended all four meetings, said they were “extremely productive.”

“There’s usually just a fairly direct exchange of ideas,” he said.

Rupp said the proof of Chenoweth’s good intentions is in the Sierra Club receiving an invitation. Chenoweth, a foe of environmental regulation who long has been active in the Wise Use movement, wouldn’t turn to the group for fundraising, he said.

“Clearly Helen does not anticipate receiving a campaign contribution from the Sierra Club any time in the future.”

, DataTimes