Beware GOP mailers masquerading as Census

Dems denounce ‘shady tactics’ backing Trump, charge they threaten to undermine accurate Census count

Mail questionnaires claiming to be from the Republican National Committee mimic 2020 Census documents, but mainly gauge support for President Trump. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)

By Ted Cox

Illinois Democrats are railing at a Republican mailer going out to voters that’s labeled and designed to mimic a 2020 Census questionnaire.

Democrats raised issues Wednesday over the mailers, labeled a “2020 Congressional District Census,” denouncing them as “shady tactics” and charging that “in reality (they) will either scare people away from participating in a real Census questionnaire or collect data on voters the GOP wants to exclude from the November election.”

“Using the Census as a guise to engage voters is extremely concerning and in reality will either scare people away from participating in a real Census questionnaire or collect data on voters the GOP wants to exclude from the November election,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. “These are shady tactics from the GOP, and we encourage voters to keep an eye out for this phony Census mailer.”

“Communities in the Second Congressional District have a lot at stake in the upcoming Census count, and we can bet the GOP would like to scare or intimidate them from participating in this critical count,” added Al Riley, a member of the Democratic State Central Committee. “We are asking voters to be on the lookout for questionable mailers and alert the state party if you feel you’ve received anything deceptive.”

Thus far, according to Illinois Democrats, the mailers, which include a fundraising pitch from the Republican National Committee, have only been detected in the Second Congressional District, which stretches from Chicago’s South Side through the southern suburbs into Will County and is represented by Congresswoman Robin Kelly of Matteson. But Rich Miller’s Capitol Fax reported on the issue Wednesday and turned up evidence of similar mailers in Montana.

As a political flier masquerading as a Census questionnaire, the mailer is almost comical. Its first question asks whether the respondent identifies politically as a conservative Republican, moderate Republican, liberal Republican, “independent voter who leans Republican,” Democrat, or other. It follows with questions asking if the respondent supports President Trump and would be willing to volunteer for his reelection campaign.

Questions are typically slanted along the lines of: “Do you approve or disapprove of the Democrats’ never-ending witch hunt to try to destroy President Trump?”

It asks respondents to rank the importance of issues including “additional tax cuts,” reducing government regulations, cutting the deficit, rebuilding infrastructure, ending the opioid crisis, ending gun violence, renegotiating trade deals, strengthening the military, caring for veterans, nominating conservative judges, securing the borders, fixing health care and, last but not least, addressing climate change.

Speaking of climate change, it asks with pointed bias: “The Democrats’ fixation on ‘climate change’ has led to costly regulations that are negatively affecting our nation’s economy across the board. Do you think climate change is a major threat to our nation?”

“Do you agree with President Trump,” it adds, “that fixing our nation’s inner cities and working to rebuild our crumbling highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, and hospitals must be a top federal priority I the next few years?” Trump ran on a platform calling for an investment in infrastructure in 2016, but thus far hasn’t gotten around to it. By contrast, Gov. Pritzker passed a record $45 billion capital plan, Rebuild Illinois, in his first months in office last year.

Under a final section labeled “Certification and Reply,” the mailer makes a pitch for a contribution to the Republican National Committee and includes areas to fill out a credit-card transaction.

Dems took explicit issue with that, pointing out that the Census is formally forbidden to ask about bank or credit-card numbers or Social Security numbers, as well as soliciting donations of any kind.

Democrats and other activists have repeatedly charged that the Trump administration is trying to undermine the 2020 Census, first by trying to include a question on a respondent’s citizenship — again forbidden by court rulings — and now with a crackdown on undocumented immigrants timed with when census takers will be knocking on doors to confirm head counts.

The Illinois Republican Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment.