Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Suma who wrote (36173)	1/26/2005 1:24:26 PM
From: Suma	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 173976

CORRUPTION Payola Part Two On the heels of the Armstrong Williams scandal (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56330-2005Jan7.html) , the contractual obligations of another commentator cheerleader (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36545-2005Jan25.html) have been exposed. In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher staunchly defended the Bush marriage initiative in any venue that would give her space without disclosing that she was under a $20,000-plus contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to promote the proposal. She "received an additional $20,000 from the Bush Administration" for authoring a report, "titled 'Can Government Strengthen Marriage?', for a private organization." In one of her columns, Gallagher goes on to plug this same policy brief and encourages HHS to implement it (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/maggiegallagher/mg20020416.shtml) , of course, without mentioning her financial connection. After the Armstrong Williams debacle, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan rebuffed questions about whether there were additional commentators on the government dole, saying, " I'm not aware of any others that are under contract. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050110-8.html#4) " YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR: The department certainly got its money's worth. Gallagher commissioned polls to contradict other columnists who had found the public was not fond of the Bush marriage initiative (http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/2002/03/31/news/opinion/2970732.htm?1c) , suggested that marriage education programs reduce divorce and domestic violence (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/maggiegallagher/mg20020416.shtml) , repeatedly advocated the Bush marriage initiative and attacked its critics (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/maggiegallagher/mg20020227.shtml) , and went so far as to state that the future prosperity of our nation (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/maggiegallagher/mg20020603.shtml) depends on our appreciation of marriage. Though Gallagher makes the argument that the contract was for specific work to be done, and thus not the same as the one under which Armstrong Williams was placed, the contract apparently puts no limit (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=115&ncid=742&e=7&u=/ucmg/20050125/cm_ucmg/aquestionofdisclosure) on the "variety of activities" in which Gallagher can be engaged on its behalf. After originally questioning whether or not the situation was an issue of journalistic ethics in the first place, Gallagher has "apologized" by claiming that she had forgotten about the contract. TAKE ACTION: E-mail Lee Salem (mailto:lsalem@amuniversal.com) -- executive vice president for print syndication at Universal Press Syndicate -- and tell him that Gallagher has violated the trust of her readers and destroyed her credibility. Demand UPS immediately stop distributing her column (http://www.americanprogressaction.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=klLWJcP7H&b=100385&action=1706&template=x.ascx) .