Membership Insurance Scam

The Washington Post had a great story today about a tactic used by "political groups to inflate their membership rosters -- and their bottom lines -- by taking dues from people with no interest in the groups' politics." It was a fascinating story, starting out as follows:

In 2001, Jennifer B. Chace heard an insurance broker's pitch for a new insurance company.... She jumped at the offer, but first, the broker told her, she would have to sign an application -- already filled out -- that would entitle her to a low group rate.

With that signature, Chace, a Florida dentist in the market for ... insurance, unwittingly joined one of Washington's most prominent ... organizations, ..., she would later testify.

Now, lest you think that this was a story about a public school teachers scammed into joining the National Education Association to enjoy its virtually useless professional liability insurance, it was a story about a tactic "marketing tax-free medical savings accounts" used to boost membership in the conservative Citizens for a Sound Economy (now known as FreedomWatch).

It's really amazing what the WaPo considers scandalous. Although this appears to be a story fed to a reporter by a plaintiffs' lawyer, the Post consistently ignores the scandal of what is legal in its own back yard --- the practice of District and Maryland groups "inflat[ing] their membership rosters -- and their bottom lines -- by taking dues from people with no interest in the groups' politics."

I guess if it's labor unions doing so, well, that's just perfectly fine with the WaPo.