RNC Sends Fundraising Mailers Resembling Census Forms to Alabama Residents

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CNN
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A federal law enacted in 2010, "Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act," bars nongovernmental entities from mailing letters with the term "census." However, two exceptions to the law include mailers with a disclaimer and ones that have a return address identifying the sender. The RNC official noted that the mailers were clearly marked that they were from the party. This isn't the first time fundraising letters resembling census forms have been sent. The tactic has been used by both political parties in the past, according to Adav Noti from the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that focuses on campaign finance laws. "It's been going on since the 1990 Census and maybe even earlier," said Noti, who noted the mailers are part of a larger fundraising practice. "The practitioners say they are very successful, not just (with) the census-like ones, but all the ones that look like legal documents -- jury notices and court summonses."

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