Posted on 01/07/2005 7:49:08 PM PST by mhking
Armstrong Williams has admitted getting paid to the tune of $240,000 by the Bush Administration to promote the Administration's No Child Left Behind legislation in his syndicated column, on his radio and television shows and to "encourage" other blacks in the media to do the same.
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004.Black conservatives like myself work day-in and day-out to promote solid and beneficial causes, which have included NCLB, but with one-fell-swoop, Williams has effectively torpedoed much of that work.The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA Today through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that the Education Department, through the Ketchum public relations firm, arranged with Williams to use contacts with America's Black Forum, a group of black broadcast journalists, "to encourage the producers to periodically address" NCLB. He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey's manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.
Williams said he does not recall disclosing the contract to audiences on the air but told colleagues about it when urging them to promote NCLB.
Williams' contract was part of a $1 million deal with Ketchum that produced "video news releases" designed to look like news reports. The Bush administration used similar releases last year to promote its Medicare prescription drug plan, prompting a scolding from the Government Accountability Office, which called them an illegal use of taxpayers' dollars.
We constantly come under scrutiny by others from both sides of the aisle, from some conservatives who are wary of our presence, and by many liberals who insist that we are "on the take" or "reaching for scraps from 'Massa's' table." We constantly have to prove that we are not some sort of 'spook sitting by the door' when Armstrong comes along and not only accepts taxpayer money, but doesn't see anything truly wrong with it!
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I believe in.""Something he believes in?"
My God! You mean to tell me that if you believe in something, no matter how illegal or wrong it may be, it's OK, because you believe in it!?
If Williams believed in NCLB so much, then he didn't need to be paid to tell folks about it in what was supposed to be a forum of his own opinion.
This calls into question any and all pundits that appear on behalf of the Bush Administration on television, radio and in print across the board. When those on the left call commentators on Fox News into question for being "paid operatives" what sort of defense is there? After all, Armstrong Williams claimed to be his own man, yet was a paid operative of the Bush White House.
Well, I can tell you with complete certainty that the folks that I know and associate with on the right aren't paid by the Administration. On the contrary. If I were, I wouldn't be scraping to get by like everyone else.
Armstrong's entire message becomes suspect as far as I'm concerned, though. And as far as I'm concerned, he becomes "damaged goods" in terms of any sort of conservative black message.
Just damn.
Black conservative ping
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
wow.
damn.
sorry.
Are you the only one who doesn't get paid for posting on FR?
Yes, we don't need this. Yes it sullies our reputation. But, we are still right. Be prepared for the MSM to make hay with any little tidbit they can find as we approach the inauguration. Very disappointing but not a serious blow. Stay on the offensive. Our enemies are still strong and like a wounded animal they will react aggressively.
At least Armstrong wasn't lying or using forged documents.
I fish all I can!
If someone offered me money to fish more I would be a happy camper.
Was this illegal?
Aw c'mon, don't be so hard on him. Have a heart.
Let me see the contract ?
What kind of typewriter was it typed on ?
He's not a member of the media, he's a talk show personality and a university professor, there is nothing unethical about that.
I'd be careful not to blow this outta proportion, my FRiend...MUD
I'll do it in a New York minute, too, but the larger problem is that he didn't disclose this, in an age when disclosure of a hangnail is a federal issue.
He represented himself as an independant pundit, when he was nothing of the sort.
It's completely unethical and calls into question each and every one of us, even though none of us are.
I'm trying very hard to find something illegal about this, and so far am failing.
I'm also trying to understand why you think working on contract to the administration somehow sullies a man.
Tucker Carleson.
Um, it's not like he was paid like a bribe. His firm was paid for advertising.
It's much ado about nothing.
Well it certainly seems unethical to me, but then so is the leftist monopoly in the rest of the media, paid or not (I'm guessing PAID, at least in one fashion or another).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.