I received a call from a Kerry staffer yesterday on an ethics violation

[beachmom]

Hello everyone! I've been taking a break from the blogs, but then I received a call yesterday from D.C. that I wanted to share with you all. Here's the story. After the Alito filibuster attempt failed, I had read here on DU that it would be a good idea to send a thank you note to the good Senator from Massachusetts and a check to his favorite charity, the USO. I immediately wrote a note and wrote out a check for $30 payable to the USO in with the note. Because of the whole anthrax scare, it took this long for the Senate office to receive my note. And much to my embarrassment, that check is against Senate ethic rules! The staffer, who was very nice, called me to ask what he should do with the check, so I told him he could shred it. After blushing to myself for an hour after the call, I realized how funny the whole thing is with imagined headlines: "Virginia homemaker takes down U.S. senator with unseemly $30 check to the USO!!". Now I realize that what would have been best was to tell him in the note, that I sent money to the USO inspired by him. I'm probably the only idiot here to misunderstand that the check shouldn't be sent directly to the Senator, but just in case, this story serves as an FYI that you should not send ANY gifts, even to charity, directly to a politician. I would say even the chocolates probably might be off limits if I am understanding this "no gift" policy now passed into law.

I have been lurking a little, and want to thank you all for the posts about Webb -- unbelievable how the "liberal" Kossaks are fawning all over a . . . Republican. I'm still not going to be posting a lot, while I catch up on my reading, plus I think that my last few posts a couple of weeks ago were pointless, which was a signal that I needed a break. Hopefully, anyone annoyed from my posts will maybe understand that I was a little burnt out! Even though I'm taking a mini-break from the blogs, I still need a JK fix here and there and it's just great that I can come over here, get a download of a Kerry radio interview, and listen to it! Thanks again, guys, for the great service you do here!

[whometense]

1. I'd been wondering where you were.

Glad to hear you're ok, and still hanging around. I've been taking a lot of mini-breaks from posting too - it really helps!!

[wisteria]

2. I wondered what had happened to you. I am happy you checked

in here. I can understand your needing a break from the blogs-really I can. More and more. I am finding to many one dimensional people who are focused on one issue only. Thanks for reinforcing my opinion of Webb. I really don't see him as a good fit for the Democrats. All you have to do is consider why he became a Democrat. What happens at some point in time when the Iraq war isn't a major issue like it is now. I can really see him getting annoyed at the Democrats and their ideals and switching parties again.

Thanks for pointing out how easy it is to do something so innocent as send a thank you note to a wonderful senator with a check enclosed for a favorite charity and have it be though of as an ethics violation. I was wondering if the flowers that DU sent to Senator Boxer may have been a violation also.

[TayTay]

4. Boxer got around that by donating the flowers to

Walter Reed Hospital and the wounded folks from Iraq. She didn't really 'keep' the flowers. She 're-gifted' them to those who could appreciate them.

[wisteria]

6. Thanks for the information. n/t

[TayTay]

3. Sweetie, nice to have you back!

I cannot recommend breaks enough. This stuff hurts. Everyone here is going to come across something that enrages, embarrasses or hurts them from time to time. We see and read so much from 'professional observers' of politics and it seems like they just brush everything off and hide everything behind a veneer of indifference and cynicism. It's not like that for most 'regular' people. The stuff that gets discussed in Washington can hurt. The way it's discussed on DU and elsewhere on the liberal web can really hurt. Taking a break is a good solution. It helps you feel like you again. I heartily recommend it.

Welcome back. You were missed. This group is not supposed to sing one note all the time. That would be boring. It's more like a complex choral arrangement, many voices singing in their own ways that toegether can make that elusive thing called 'music.' (As opposed to noise, which is what happens when no one voice attempts to harmonize at all with others.)

That Senate office is on the ball. That was really sweet of them to call you. And don't ever feel embarrassed. It is not possible for ordinary human beings to understand the rules of giving and not giving money to, or for, or in the name of, an elected official. (I haven't a damn clue about how this works and what is legal and what is not, just a very vague notion.) It's nice to know that the Senate office is on the job, obeys the law and also gets in touch with a constituent or voter and asks them directly what to do. This is a good thing. It's like a test and, gee, they passed. Nice to know.

[ProSense]

5. Wonderful to hear from you Beachmom. Great story; good info.

Breaks are good. I try not to let this stuff bother me too much, but when I manage to break away for a few hours or more, I feel much better. I'm glad you're still here. :hug:

[karynnj]

7. Great to see you back

I really did appreciate the alternative view of things that you presented on Iraq (and other things).

The story of the check really is nice. I agree with you on the Webb issue and hope there are primary debates where he will have to disclose his view on issues other than having been against the Iraq invasion. (Though rumors suggested many Bush 1 people including his father were too - should we take Scowcroft too.) Now, it's not just the Kossacks - Wes Clark endorsed him - I think yesterday.

By the way, the Ed Schultz interview is fantastic.

[fedupinBushcountry]

8. Hey neighbor

was wondering where you were at, was about to PM you to see if everything was alright. But I understand a break, in fact that is how I ended up here.

It is unbelievable about the fawning,it makes my head spin, and the thing is most of it is coming from those that don't even live in Virginia.:crazy:

Enjoy your break, and as far as reading goes, JK mentioned Cobra 2 yesterday.

[beachmom]

9. A few more details about the conversation

I can't overemphasize how pleasant the staffer was -- he was not merely cordial, but friendly enough that we had a couple of minutes of small talk. He inquired about my children (obviously, he had read my note!) and we talked about the great weather, as Washington D.C. and Virginia Beach can have similar weather. This was completely different from any conversation I had ever had with a Congressional staffer; of course, I've only talked to Republicans as I don't have any Democratic represenativies or Senators (state or federal). And certainly, many of them were pleasant (except Allen's staff -- they were downright rude), but there was definitely a "you're among friends" air to yesterday's brief conversation. I do feel like Senator Kerry's office has adopted me as a lost constituent with no one to represent me.

And, finally, the advantage to my mistake was that I got the phone call, and now know that the letter is en route to the Senator himself, as the staffer said he was putting it in his mailbox! I did listen to the two radio interviews that Kerry gave yesterday, and did hear a little bit (a LITTLE) of weariness in his voice. It makes me feel good that my handwritten note will soon be in his hands to hopefully give him a boost.

[ginnyinWI]

10. aw, that is so nice!

See, there are nice people in Washington!

It's the little things that show character, stuff that isn't related to PR or anything else. :)

[TayTay]

11. Consider yourself adopted!

Honorary Mass-soul. (That's looks better on the adoption papers than the other Mass-designation I sometimes use.)

Welcome aboard! Now say - "Sentah Kehree's people were wicked, wicked nice to me. They were real sweethahts!"

Okay, you're in. I can send you the directions for the secret handshake. Congrats. BTW, Red Sawx open on Monday, you need to know this in order to be a true-blue Mass-soul.