White House paid commentator $240,000 to promote No Child Left Behind
Posted on Friday, January 07 @ 10:31:09 EST (2053 reads)
By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY
Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform
law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to
promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge
other black journalists to do the same.
Williams on being paid to boost NCLB: "I wanted to do it because it's
something I believe in."
The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB),
required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB
during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education
Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in
2004.
Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the
arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I
believe in."
The top Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. George Miller of
California, called the contract "a very questionable use of taxpayers'
money" that is "probably illegal." He said he will ask his Republican
counterpart to join him in requesting an investigation.
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