Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. letter to F. F., March 16, 1998

ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR. C COMMITTEES BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANT MAJORITY WHIP Congress of tljc (Unites States Souse of Septesentattoes ©aastjington, ZD£ 20515-2002 March 16, 1998 This responds to your recent correspondence regarding your visit to my office along with other members of the Garden Club of America. 1 regret your feeling that you were “slighted” during your group’s recent visit to my office. On the day your group visited my office, I was scheduled to participate in 1 8 events in both Washington and Maryland. My day started with a 7:30 AM appearance in Columbia, Maryland, and included a marathon hearing on IMF policy in the House Banking Committee. When I arrived at my office at around 9:20 AM, I was scheduled to participate in a weekly conference call. Moreover, most of these events had been scheduled long before your organization contacted my office for an appointment. When I entered the office, I saw that your group was engaged in an animated discussion with Johns Meiers, my Legislative Fellow. Mr. Meiers is very well versed in my positions on environmental issues. After your visit, he prepared a detailed memorandum for me outlining your concerns. Accordingly, I elected not to interrupt the conversation at that moment, and proceeded to my scheduled conference call. Those who truly understand me know how much I value constituent contacts. When I am not scheduled to be in Washington tending to legislative business, as I was on the day you visited my office, I am traveling throughout the Second Congressional District, meeting with groups across the ideological spectrum. Moreover, these visits have received substantial press attention over the past few years. In light of my long history of aggressive constituent outreach, I am surprised that you would fail to see one unfortunate occurrence for what it really is: a simple miscommunication. Moreover, your letter states your belief that “environmental issues are not a major concern” to me. Had you listened carefully to what Mr Meiers had to say, you would have realized that this statement is not true. Since coming to Congress, I have taken an independent approach towards environmental issues. I have not been afraid to oppose my party’s leadership when I felt its