Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Heather Fitzenhagen has apologized after a campaign email was sent from her House email address.
On Thursday, Gary Fineout of the Associated Press reported that Fitzenhagen apologized for a breach of her official House email account after the address was used to send an invitation to a campaign fundraiser.
.@RepFitzenhagen apologies for breach of her official House email account. It was used to send a fundraising invitation yesterday
— Gary Fineout (@fineout) April 22, 2016
House staff said they were able to verify the email was not sent from a state computer on a state account. House staff said it was sent from a third party email.
After Fitzenhagen was elected in 2012, she converted an email program used during her campaign into one to keep constituents informed. When that happened, she switched the email address associated with the newsletter to her official state account.
According to House staff, Fitzenhagen asked a former campaign worker — who previously had access to the old account — if she would forward an invitation to a fundraiser to some of her contacts. House staff said the woman logged into to the program and sent an email blast using the old campaign account.
Fitzenhagen said she was unaware the woman still had access to the account, and didn’t direct her to use her state email address. Fitzenhagen quickly sent out an apology and told House staff she plans to cancel the event and have it at a different time and location out an abundance of caution.
The Fort Myers Republican is running for re-election in House District 78. State records show she has raised more than $123,000 since filing to run for re-election in January 2015. She is currently running unopposed.
