Bush Administration Payment of Columnist
On January 7, 2005, the issue of USA Today carried a report of investigation done by Greg Toppo. The report referred to the payments made to the right wing media commentators to promote and highlight the favorable points of the various policies of the Bush administration. The payments were made by several US executive departments by using the public funds. This scandal, `Bush administration payment of columnists`, involved payments made to at least three commentators worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The news paper had used the Freedom of Information Act in order to obtain information from the US Department of Education.
The three columnists accused of receiving the payments were Armstrong Williams, Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus.
Armstrong, a prominent columnist on CNN and CNBC, received money in order to promote the `No Child Left Behind` policy. To provide favorable views on this policy, he also influenced and encouraged other journalists and commentators. He was alleged to have received $241,000 of the tax money from a contract made between the Education Department and a public relation firm, Ketchum Communication. William later on admitted receiving payments in his article `My Apology`. However he maintained his stand regarding the policy saying that payments did not change his views.
The Los Angeles Times article by Tom Hamburger published on January 28 implicated Michael McManus for receiving payments. McManus article `Ethics& Religion` appears in more than 50 local newspapers. His organization `Marriage Savers Inc` was accused of receiving in addition of $49,000 from a subcontractor who was hired by a consulting firm branch of Department of Health and Human Services.
Columnist Maggie Gallagher name appeared in the article written by Howard Kurtz for `The Washington Post`. Department of Health and Human Services had made payments of $41,500 (by redirecting welfare funds) to Gallagher for promoting the Bush’s marriage initiative.
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