• by Wayne Friedman , October 3, 2005

When it comes to promoting the Bush Administration's own political agendas, marketing doesn't pay. In fact, one governmental agency says that it is illegal.

The Government Accountability Office said the Bush administration payments to broadcast commentator Armstrong Williams to promote its "No Child Left Behind" education policy through TV video press releases that appear on TV newscasts were illegal.

In a report requested by Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), the GAO found that the payments--around $250,000--violated prohibitions on funding a "covert propaganda campaign."

Armstrong Williams appeared in what has been called "fake" television news stories, according to the Senators. Journalism critics say paid or unpaid video press releases that make it onto local TV and national TV newscasts should be identified as such.

The Department of Education's own investigation found no illegality in the awarding of the contracts. It was the DOE that hired public relations company Ketchum Communications, which in turn hired Williams. The GAO found that the Education Department violated the "publicity and propaganda" law.

"This latest report confirms that the Bush Administration broke the law when it wasted taxpayer dollars to promote its own political agenda," said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) in a statement. "This practice is corrupt and deceptive." Miller has been a leading critic of the Department of Education's PR contract with Williams.

Sens. Lautenberg and Kennedy sent a letter to Education Secretary Margaret Spellings urging her to recover the misspent funds.