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Strickland to Columnist Paid by Government: Repay Money
"WASHINGTON - The two members of Congress who represent the Mahoning Valley are calling on commentator Armstrong Williams to leave behind the money he was paid by the U.S. Department of Education to promote the Bush Administration's "No Child Left Behind" initiative. U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, along with seven other House members, last week sent a letter to the prominent conservative to return the funds to the department. Williams came under fire last week after USA Today reported that he had been paid more than $240,000 by the Education Department to promote the Bush education initiative. Education Secretary Rod Paige defended the contract, saying that the deal was simply to buy advertising on Williams' syndicated radio and television programs. However, USA Today also reported that, according to a copy of the contract obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, Williams was to "comment regularly on No Child Left Behind during the course of his broadcasts" and encourage the producers of a cable TV program, "America's Black Forum," to do so as well. The contract also called on Williams to interview Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during Williams' shows. Williams also reportedly advocated NCLB several times in his syndicated column. Since the disclosure, America's Black Forum has ended its relationship with Williams and Tribune Media Services stopped distributing his column. Williams apologized for his "bad judgment," but said last week that he plans to keep the $240,000 paid to him by the Department of Education.The conservative Williams' belief in restraining government waste and spending "apparently only goes so far as his own wallet,"Strickland said in a news release."If Mr. Williams believes so strongly in the No Child Left Behind bill, he should have happily agreed to shill for the Department of Education for free. Instead, he accepted a government hand-out," Strickland said. "If he truly believes what he did was wrong, as he has publicly stated, he should do right by America's students and teachers and return the money to the department."In their letter, the members of Congress point out that the $240,000 could have been used to help students in public schools, an idea Williams claims to wholeheartedly support. "In short, Mr. Williams, $240,000 could help thousands of children succeed in school. Instead, the $240,000 -- all taxpayers' dollars -- will be used only to increase your personal wealth," the letter stated.In the release, Strickland noted that Williams in his columns has attacked the National Education Association for spending too much money on government relations, rather than "help[ing] kids, or mak[ing] schools better." The congressman said Williams' audacity is rivaled only by his arrogance. "Accepting nearly a quarter of a million taxpayer dollars to violate the public trust and endorse a program he supposedly supported anyway flies in the face of honest commentating and conservative fiscal policy," Strickland said. Williams "has a choice: he can keep the money he has received and prove himself a fraud concerned only about his own personal wealth, or he can prove his core beliefs by returning to taxpayers the money that he received as part of this backroom deal."Lawmakers and government officials have said they may look into whether Williams' deal violated federal law. The incident is just the most recent example of the administration's efforts to directly influence news coverage, Democrats said. The administration has previously been criticized for producing video releases on Medicare changes structured as news segments. The releases were not identified as being produced by the government.The text of the letter follows:Dear Mr. Williams:In light of recent disclosures that you accepted payment to promotethe Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind Act in your syndicated column and television show, we urge you to reimburse the Department of Education the full $240,000 you received as compensation.We understand that, as a pundit and commentator, you may not feelbound to the same professional standards to which journalists adhere. However, you must realize that your audience relies on you to present a fair, unbiased analysis of current issues. By accepting payment to promote a particular policy, you sacrificed your professional integrity -- and your audience's right to accurate information -- in the interest of personal financial gain. Moreover, your payment was drawn from the Department of Education, a taxpayer-supported body designed to plan and implement the best policies to educate America's children. We are appalled and disheartened that you would accept these funds, knowing that they were taken directly from our public school students. The $240,000 you received as payment could have instead paid for:107,000 school lunches under the National School Lunch Program.3,700 days' worth of substitute teachers.85,000 elementary level library books.900 kindergarten level reading instruction kits.In short, Mr. Williams, $240,000 could help thousands of childrensucceed in school. Instead, the $240,000 - all taxpayers' dollars - will be used only to increase your personal wealth.We read with interest your column of May 25, 2004, in which youcriticize the National Education Association for diverting what you deem to be an excess of funds to "government relations." You suggest that the money would have been better spent on programs to "help our kids, or to make our schools better." However, when the Bush Administration offered you $240,000 of Department of Education funds intended to help our kids, or to make our schools better - you readily accepted.We respect your willingness to accept responsibility for your actions. As you state in a letter to your readers, dated January 9, "I accept full responsibility for my lack of good judgment. I am paying the price." However, you have made no effort to rectify the situation by returning the payment that, as you admit, represents a "conflict of interests." We urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to return immediately the full $240,000 to the Department of Education. By returning your payment, you will clear any lingering doubts as to the motivation for your support of No Child Left Behind. More importantly, you will return taxpayers' dollars to their rightful, intended purpose -- helping America's children to obtain the best possible public education.In closing, we would like to remind you of your column of December24, 2004, in which you tell readers of the virtues of giving: "(i)n theprocess of giving, we have received more than money can buy... In this life, we can lose only ourselves, and paradoxically so, when we try to gain the material things of this world." We implore you to heed the advice you offer and take this opportunity to return your ill-gotten paycheck to America's children. We, along with educators, parents, and students across the country, will be watching your actions.Sincerely, Ted StricklandTim RyanRaul GrijalvaCarolyn Maloney Frank Pallone Rosa DeLauro Lynn Woolsey Bob EtheridgeMembers of Congress "