>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2005 00:10:05 EDT >Subject: Bush Administration Found Involved in Illegal 'Covert Propaganda' >To: undisclosed-recipients:; >X-ELNK-AV: 0 > > >Published on Saturday, October 1, 2005 by >the<http://www.afp.com> Agence France Presse > > ><http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1001-01.htm>http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1001-01.htm > >Bush Administration Found Involved in Illegal 'Covert Propaganda' > >The administration of President George W. Bush >broke the law as it resorted to illegal "covert >propaganda" in trying to sell its key education >initiative to the public, US congressional >investigators have found. >The finding, made public by the Government >Accountability Office, added to a plethora of >big and small ethics scandals besetting the >administration and its top Republican allies and >putting them on the defensive one year before >congressional elections. >The investigation was ordered by Democratic >Senators Edward Kennedy and Frank Lautenberg >earlier this year, in the wake of reports the >Education Department had paid newspaper >columnist and television commentator Armstrong >Williams thousands of dollars to help promote >the No Child Left Behind Law. >The 2002 bipartisan measure established new >testing requirements for public schools designed >to ensure that students achieve an acceptable >level of proficiency in reading and mathematics. >But the law came in for strong criticism from >local officials and teachers' unions, who argued >it did not provide sufficient funds to implement >the reforms. >Under the deal, Williams produced a series of >radio and television shows as well as wrote >newspaper columns under his own name >highlighting what he saw as the benefits of the >law. >But in doing so, he failed to disclose the >government paid him for these activities 186,000 >dollars (150,000 euros) through Ketchum Inc., a >public relations firm, according to the GAO >report. >"This qualifies as the production or >distribution of covert propaganda," said the >investigative arm of Congress. "In our view, the >department violated the publicity or propaganda >prohibition when it issued task orders... >without requiring Ketchum to ensure that Mr >Williams disclosed to his audiences his >relationship with the department." >Newspaper syndicate Tribune Media Services >canceled Williams' column in January. >In addition, the department placed with the firm >a total of 21 orders for producing unattributed >videos showcasing the education initiative that >were made to look like normal television reports >and were slated for distribution to TV networks >as bona fide news stories. >There is no word if any of these clips actually made it to the air. >Congressional investigators pointed out that >under US law, "an agency must inform the viewing >public that the government is the source of the >information disseminated." >The report also suggested the administration may >have illegally shifted nearly 38,500 dollars >within its budget to pay for its propaganda >campaign. >In statements that followed the GAO report, >Senator Kennedy and Lautenberg demanded the >misused money be returned to the government. >"The taxpayer funded propaganda coming from the >White House is another sign of the culture of >corruption that pervades the White House and >Republican leadership," argued Kennedy. >The finding comes as the Republican >establishment in Washington finds itself >embroiled in a series of scandals ranging from >the indictment of House majority leader Tom >DeLay on charges related to his fundraising >activities to allegations of preferential >treatment of contractors helping victims of >Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. >Senate Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist is >facing an investigation into a questionable >stock sale, while the probe into the illegal >disclosure of the name of CIA operative Valerie >Plame took a new twist, after it was revealed >that Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President >Richard Cheney's chief of staff, was one of the >sources of information about her. >Plame's name was leaked to the press in 2003 >after her husband publicly disputed Bush's claim >that Iraq sought to buy uranium ore from Niger >as part of its drive to build nuclear weapons. > >© Copyright 2005 AFP
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