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Monthly Archives: September 2005

GAO Determines Bush Administration Violated Propaganda Policy

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Follow-up to my previous posting, Controversy Surrounds Government Sponsored News, new developments and related links:

  • press release: GAO Blasts Illegal Propaganda Campaign at the U.S. Department of Education: “Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) ruled that the Bush Department of Education illegally used taxpayer dollars to fund a covert propaganda campaign, aimed at boosting the image of the President’s education agenda…The GAO found that the Education Department violated the “publicity and propaganda” law by making payments to the journalist Armstrong Williams and by paying a public relations firm to produce fake television news stories promoting the President’s education programs. For both violations, the GAO directed the Department of Education to invoke the Federal Anti-Deficiency Act to begin the process of recovering the misspent taxpayer dollars.”

    • GAO Rulings on Propaganda, Released on September 30, 2005 (all documents in PDF)

  • Letter from GAO to Department of Education
  • GAO AG’s decision that the Dept. of Education violated the publicity or propaganda prohibition for 2004 re: Contract to Obtain Services of Armstrong Williams: “we find that the Department contracted for Armstrong Williams to comment regularly on the No Child Left Behind Act without assuring that the Department’s role was disclosed to the targeted audiences. This violated the publicity or propaganda prohibition for fiscal year 2004 because it amounted to covert propaganda. As a result of this violation, the Department also violated the Antideficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. sect. 1341.”
  • GAO AG’s decision on Dept. of Education, No Child Left Behind Act and Video News Release and Media Analysis: “The Department’s use of appropriated funds to produce a prepackaged news story regarding Supplemental Educational Services that failed to inform the viewing audience of the government source violates the publicity or propaganda prohibition.”
  • and from the New York Times, October 1, 2005: Buying of News by Bush’s Aides Is Ruled Illegal

    • Detainee Photos and Video Must be Released According to Court

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    Press release: On September 29, 2005, CCR attorneys lauded the landmark decision issued today by federal district court Judge Alvin Hellerstein that ordered the Department of Defense to release hundreds of new photographs and videotapes of abuse in Iraq that the DOD has attempted to withhold from the public. The ruling was in the Freedom… Continue Reading

    E-Health Records Focus of House Cmte. Hearing

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    Committee on Government Reform, September 29, 2005 hearing, The Last Frontier: Bringing the IT Revolution to Healthcare. “Doctors continue to write billions of handwritten prescriptions every year, a significant portion of which are illegible, or involve incorrect or incompatible drugs. According to one survey, only 15 percent of physicians are using electronic prescribing systems, and… Continue Reading

    Renewed Calls for Implementation of Emergency IT Telecom Infrastructure

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    Following up on his 2002 call for the formation of a National Emergency Technology Guard (NET Guard), on September 29, 2005 Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), together with Sen. George Allen (R-VA) sent this letter to DHS Secretary Chertoff urging his department to “fully implement NET Guard as soon as possible.” Related resources: Homeland Security Act… Continue Reading

    Broad Coalition Pushes to Lift Gag Order Against Librarian

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    ACLU press release: “The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Library Association, the Free Congress Foundation and members of Congress gathered today to urge the Justice Department to lift a gag order silencing Americans who have received demands for personal records under the Patriot Act. “John Doe,” an organization that is an ALA member and… Continue Reading

    Report on Bush Administration Officials Returning to Private Sector

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    From the Center for American Progress, The Second Term Revolving Door, September 29, 2005 (11 pages, PDF) “The ‘revolving door’ between business and government has swung rapidly in President Bush’s second term. In just a few months, scores of administration officials have flocked to industry jobs, cashing in with the corporations they once regulated. Also,… Continue Reading