DNC: Bush Payoffs Deemed Illegal

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2005
Contact: Josh Earnest - 202-863-8148

BUSH PAYOFFS DEEMED ILLEGAL
GOP Cult of Corruption Now Affecting America's Students

Washington, DC - In yet another publicized rebuke of the Republicans'
culture of corruption in Washington, DC, the non-partisan General
Accounting Office on Friday said the Bush Administration violated
federal law when it funded a "covert propaganda" campaign to promote
their No Child Left Behind legislation. These measures included paying
Armstrong Williams, a noted conservative columnist, to endorse Bush's No
Child Left Behind initiative, and the creation of a news video release,
which looks very similar to regular news reports. Bush's Department of
Education was also warned about hiring a public relations firm to track
news reports on Republican education policies. 9/30/05]


In most administrations, a non-partisan account of illegal activity by
the White House would be big news. But in this Bush White House, it gets
lost among the reports about arrested White House procurement officials
and ongoing investigations involving the White House deputy chief of
staff and the Vice President's chief of staff.


"The rampant Republican culture of corruption in Washington has now led
to hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on propaganda instead of
on programs to benefit our nation's schools. The Bush Education
Department's decision to spend taxpayer dollars on propaganda is another
unfortunate chapter in the culture of corruption," said Democratic
National Committee spokesman Josh Earnest. "Educating our kids should be
a top priority - this is yet another example of why we need to change
the way business is done in D.C."

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.

[mzmolly]

1. Once again

thanks and recommended.

[napi21]

2. I heard this yesterday! What are the consequences going to be?

GAO doesn't have the ability to file charges, so what is DOJ going to do??? Betcha I can tell ya!

NOTHING!!!!!

[Angry Girl]

8. Bush Shows No Remorse for Fake Newscasts (March 2005)

More than 20 different federal agencies used taxpayer funds to produce television news segments promoting Bush administration policies. These "video news releases," or VNRs, were broadcast on hundreds of local news programmes without disclosing their source.

<snip>

Regarding the VNRs, Pres. Bush said the government's practice of sending "packaged news stories" to local television stations was legal and he has no plans to cease it.

His defence of the packages, which are designed to look like television news segments, came after the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog agency, called them a form of covert propaganda.

The administration responded that, "Executive Branch agencies are not bound by GAO's legal advice" but should be guided by the views of the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, part of the executive branch.

http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=28063

[mrdmk]

3. Fascism is OK by Mr. Bush Jr. We just cannot call it that, it is not PC

I hope the Republicans get screwed good, they deserve it!

[texpatriot2004]

4. Thank you Howard Dean and the DNC n/t

[mrdmk]

5. A kick

:kick:

[AuntiBush]

6. "Thank-You-Dr.-Dean!"

And the DNC! Now what................

[hootinholler]

7. Well, you know you sometimes have to

Catapault the propoganda to get the story out.

-Hoot