Potential losers in this venture, he acknowledged, are newspapers, magazines and direct-mail operations, which provide most of the coupons now used by consumers.

Last year the United States postal inspector in Newark began looking into the foundation's direct-mail operation after complaints from state residents.

The company said the acquisition would give it direct-mail operations to complement its telemarketing abilities and a new channel for selling Internet and utilities products.

It was late August, and Nygren, who runs the direct-mail operation, had just hired a new adman.

Like other sophisticated direct-mail operations, the foundation keeps detailed records of each donor's history of purchases and contributions.

She said that although there may have been some misinformation because of shorthand attempts to provide information, "our direct-mail operation has changed dramatically."

Fala uses the power to run office computers and sorting and inserting machines for its direct-mail operations.

The group is chiefly a direct-mail operation, sending sample ballots on behalf of candidates it endorses.

And Mr. Dresing's company is being used as a consultant for some of the subsidiary's direct-mail operations.

He said the foundation planned to use its existing direct-mail operation to both raise money and disseminate information about those cases.