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| *Who Use Taxpayers Money to Buy Votes and Spread Their Ideology*
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 Sens. 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 just not enough to say, 'Please don't do it anymore,'" Alex
Formuzis, Lautenberg's spokesman, told E&P. "Legislation sometimes is
required and we believe it is in this case."
The Stop Government Propaganda Act states, "Funds appropriated to an
Executive branch agency may not be used for publicity or propaganda
purposes within the United States unless authorized by law."
"It's time for Congress to shut down the Administration's propaganda
mill," Lautenberg said in a statement. "It has no place in the United
States Government." The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Durbin
(D-Ill.) and Jon Corzine (D-N.J.).
Formuzis told E&P that while the bill is being introduced by Democrats,
its message and intent is something endorsed by Republicans and
Democrats alike.
The act would allow citizens to bring qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the
United States government when the Department of Justice does not respond.
If the matter is taken to court, the bill proposes that the senior
official responsible would be fined three times the amount of the
"misspent taxpayer funds" plus an additional fine ranging from $5,000 to
$10,000. And if a citizen's qui tam suit is accepted, the bill proposes
that the plaintiff receives between 25 and 30% of the proceeds of the fine.
"The President 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. ...
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