Bush Propaganda Machine Could Roll to a StopEditor and Publisher
by Brian Orloff
NEW YORK In response to continued revelations of government-funded "journalism" - ranging from the purported video news releases put out by the drug czar's office and the Department of Health and Human Services, to the recently uncovered payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher, who flacked administration programs - Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce a bill, The Stop Government Propaganda Act, in the Senate next week.
"It's time for Congress to shut down the Administration's propaganda mill," Lautenberg said in a statement. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Jon Corzine (D-N.J.).
[Lautenberg’s spokesman] said "This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an issue about an independent press, and I think that's something that will cross party lines."
"[Bush] said that his cabinet agencies made a mistake when they paid commentators to promote his agenda," Kennedy said in a statement. "It's more than just a mistake, it's an abuse of taxpayer funds and an abuse of the First Amendment and freedom of the press. ... If [Bush] is serious about stopping these abuses, he will support this legislation."
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