Postal Service Interested In Sponsoring Party Conventions

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, March 28) -- Is it savvy marketing or a political ploy?

U.S. Postal Service officials want to spend $1 million to help underwrite this summer's Republican and Democratic political conventions, but one lawmaker isn't so sure about the idea.

The Post Service would like to contribute $500,000 to each of the conventions to become an official sponsor and promote its overnight and priority mail services. "Being at conventions -- particularly conventions drawing together decision-makers -- makes sense to us," Lorin E. Smith, the postal service's chief marketing office, told the Associated Press.

Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), who chairs the House committee that oversees the postal service, wants to hear more about the idea, though. "He wants to find out what's going on, what is the true motivation and what are they doing," said a spokeswoman, Robin Wolfgang.

It's illegal for federal agencies to spend tax money on political purposes. The money in question would go not to the parties themselves, but each convention's "host committee." The $1 million represents only 1 percent of the Postal Service's annual promotion and marketing budget.

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