Sunday, October 02, 2005

GAO Rules on the Pundit Payola Scandal

The Government Accountability Office says the Bush administration broke the law in paying commentator Armstrong Williams (right) to tout the administration's education policy.

But the same report says payments to columnist Maggie Gallagher on the administration's marriage initiative was OK.

The two were part of the "Pundit Payola Scandal" from earlier this year.

The GAO -- Congress' investigative arm -- says the payments to Mr Williams violated a 2003 law against covert propaganda. Mr Williams never disclosed that he was taking $240,000 from the administration to support their education plans.

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