Who is Michael McManus? Never heard of him.
I think Armstrong Williams crossed the line. Maggy Gallagher was paid to do research, which is hardly the same thing as Williams. Whoever McManus is, I'm guessing for $10K he didn't get to do much. Here's an interesting take on the so-called payola situation, and how pervasive it is on the left if you apply the same standards to them :
http://www.nationalreview.com/adler/adler200501271606.asp