• Ad Age, Tuesday, February 14, 2006 12 PM

The White House has spent $1.6 billion on advertising and public relations contracts over the past two and a half years, a fact now riling Democrats. "The extent of the Bush administration's propaganda effort is unprecedented and disturbing," said U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif. "The fact is that after all the spin, the American people are stuck with high prescription-drug prices, high gas prices and high college costs. This report raises serious questions about this administration's priorities for the country..." Democrats said six ad agencies reaped the benefits of the White House spending: Leo Burnett USA, $536 million; Campbell-Ewald, $194 million; GSD&M, $179 million; JWT, $148 million; Frankel & Co., $133 million; and Ketchum, $78 million. The Department of Defense, The Department of Health and Human Services, The Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security were the government's biggest-spending divisions.

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