Napolitano e-mails go to all the wrong folks

Mar. 14, 2006 12:00 AM

Spamalot . . . Something very odd is going on inside Gov. Janet Napolitano's re-election campaign. Her campaign computer system has been spitting out fund-raising invites and thank-you letters to a whole lot of people it seems to think are supporters who, in fact, are anything but.

One of the first indications of trouble was a March 9 thank-you letter intended for supporters who had filled out an online $5 contribution form to help Napolitano qualify for Clean Elections public campaign funding.

It appears the e-mail went to a lot of folks who were not contributors, including members of the House Republican leadership staff (perhaps the most Napolitano-unfriendly environment on Earth) and The Republic Editorial Board, which is prohibited from donating to campaigns.

That same day, a mass apology went out to those who received the letter by mistake, though it helpfully included an online link in case the recipients did want to donate to Napolitano's campaign.

These weren't the only curious e-mails hitting in-boxes. Government workers, and Republican House members such as Majority Leader Steve Tully and Rep. Colette Rosati also got missives on their state e-mails. Those came from former Gov. Rose Mofford and Napolitano's campaign chairman, Noah Kroloff, touting house parties and seeking donations. Annoying spam e-mails take on a new connotation when they come from the boss, Tully, R-Phoenix, said.

"If we're getting them randomly, I wonder who else is getting these?" Tully said.

Kroloff said the $5 thank-you note was sent out by mistake, hence the apology.

As for campaign pitches going out to government e-mail addresses, Kroloff said that wasn't the campaign's intent and the glitch will be fixed.

- Robbie Sherwood