Kennedy: Culture of Corruption

[jsamuel]

"The taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign coming from the White House is another sign of the culture of corruption that pervades the White House and Republican leadership."


http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/09/30/build/nation/47-payola.inc

Education Department broke rules by paying columnist, GAO says
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By NANCY BENAC
Associated Press
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WASHINGTON -- The Education Department violated a ban on covert propaganda when it paid a columnist to tout government policies and produced a video that seemed like a news story, congressional investigators said Friday.

The public relations efforts violated the government's "publicity or propaganda prohibition" because the Education Department contracts did not ensure that the department's role was clearly disclosed, the Government Accountability Office said.

The investigation had been requested by Sens. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., after it was revealed that the department had hired Armstrong Williams, a syndicated conservative columnist and TV personality, to promote Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law.

(snip)

"The Bush administration took taxpayer funds that should have gone towards helping kids learn and diverted it to a political propaganda campaign," Lautenberg said in a statement. "The administration needs to return these funds to the treasury."

Kennedy added: "The taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign coming from the White House is another sign of the culture of corruption that pervades the White House and Republican leadership."

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Good meme. Pelosi used it earlier.

[MoJoWorkin]

2. It was Dean's in the beginning----NOW the dems are finalliy

catching on----Dean is WAY ahead of the curve, as usual.

[AllyCat]

3. Gee. Do you think BushCo will return the money?

It would be best if it came from the BFEE private accounts. Oh wait, that's probably blood money.

[jane_pippin]

4. Oh good. Looks like the Dems are on the same page with this

catchy little phrase. Thank you Howard, and everyone who repeats it.
It does my li'l heart good to see that they've gotten "on message." There's no reason why we can't have and use talking points too--especially since ours are--wacky idea--based on truth.

Somewhat off topic:
I just started seeing ads for Bryan Kennedy, the guy going after Sensenbastard's seat, on CNN this week. They're great. The ads call out Sensenbastard by listing a few of his "greatest hits" and letting his actions speak for themselves. Nicely done.