Armstrong Williams (born February 5, 1959) is an African American political commentator. Williams, a conservative newspaper columnist, hosts a nationally syndicated television program called The Right Side as well as a daily radio program. He launched his own company, The Right Side Production, in 2003. It produces and syndicates his television program to outlets including Sky Angel Satellite Network, The Liberty Channel and other cable outlets. His company produces his radio program with Langer Broadcast Radio Network. [1] February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An African-American (also Afro-American, Black American, or black), is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

According to Williams's website, his newspaper column was syndicated by Tribune Media Services to "a wide array of African-American and mainstream newspapers". However in January 2005 his contract was terminated over his paid but undisclosed advocacy for promoting Bush Administration education policy. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States. ...

In his book Blinded by the Right former conservative journalist David Brock claims Williams may be a homosexual based on an incident between the two at Williams' apartment. Williams was also sued by a male associate for sexual harassment, but this was settled out of court. Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative (ISBN 1400047285) is a book written by former conservative journalist David Brock detailing his departure from the conservative movement. ... David Brock David Brock was a prominent conservative journalist of the 1990s who in 1998 became a liberal and now works to dismantle the conservative media machine of which he was once a part. ... Homosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by esthetic attraction, romantic love, or sexual desire exclusively for another of the same sex. ... Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. ...

Selling the Bush Administration's "No Child Left Behind" policy

In January 2005, USA Today reported that documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that Williams had been paid $240,000 to promote the controversial No Child Left Behind Act ("NCLB") of the Bush administration. According to USA Today, Williams was hired to "to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same." [2] USA Today is a national American newspaper published by the Gannett Corporation. ... Nearly sixty countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation, which sets rules on governmental secrecy. ... Signing ceremony at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. ...

As part of the agreement, Williams was required "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." [3] Rod Paige Dr. Roderick Raynor Paige (born June 17, 1933), served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. ...

The contract with Williams was part of a $1 million contract between the U.S. Department of Education and the public relations company, Ketchum. Ketchum is the name of different towns in the United States of America. ...

Melanie Sloan from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington told USA Today that the contract may be illegal "because Congress has prohibited propaganda," or any sort of lobbying for programs funded by the government. "And it's propaganda," she said. Representative George Miller, a member of the House Education Committee, called the contract "a very questionable use of taxpayers' money" that is "probably illegal." [4] Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a Washington, DC-based organization dedicated to fighting corruption by government officials by means of creative litigation. ... Soviet propaganda poster from the Great Patriotic War depicting the victory of war hero General Georgi Zhukov over Nazi Germany. ... The chamber of the United States House of Representatives is located in the south wing of the Capitol building, in Washington, D.C.. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States. ... George Miller (born March 3, 1945) is an Australian film and television screenwriter, film director and producer. ...

After the USA Today revelations, Tribune Media Services terminated its syndication agreement with Williams. In a statement to Editor and Publisher, but not available on its website, TMS stated: "[A]ccepting compensation in any form from an entity that serves as a subject of his weekly newspaper columns creates, at the very least, the appearance of a conflict of interest. Under these circumstances, readers may well ask themselves if the views expressed in his columns are his own, or whether they have been purchased by a third party." [5]

Williams told Associated Press "even though I'm not a journalist — I'm a commentator — I feel I should be held to the media ethics standard. My judgment was not the best. I wouldn't do it again, and I learned from it." [6]

Rather than criticize the arrangement, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said it was a matter for the Education Department. According to Associated Press the Education Department said the deal was a "permissible use of taxpayer funds under legal government contracting procedures." [7] Scott McClellan in the press room of the White House Scott McClellan (born 1968) is the current White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush. ...

Ketchum responded to requests from trade publications such as PRWeek and O'Dwyer's PR Daily but at the request of the Department of Education did not respond to national media outlets.

As the controversy raged on, Scott McClellan remained non-committal on whether White House staff knew of the deal with Williams. "I'm not sure that senior staff was consulted before this decision was made. I haven't heard anything to that effect," he said. [8]

Three days after the story broke McClellan claimed he was unaware of the details of the contract and that specific questions should be directed to the Education Department. As to whether Williams should have disclosed the details of the contract in his columns and on-air appearances, McClellan would only concede that "those are all legitimate questions."

Asked whether he would investigate whether other journalists were on the payroll of the administration, McClellan was elusive. "I'm not aware of any others that are under contract other than the one that's been reported on in the media," he said.

Following the revelations of the Williams contract with Ketchum, the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington announced that it had filed Freedom of Information requests with 22 agencies requesting copies of all contracts with public relation firms. [9] Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a Washington, DC-based organization dedicated to fighting corruption by government officials by means of creative litigation. ...

The USA Today revelations caused controversy within the PR industry too. The day the story broke, the CEO of Edelman Public Relations, Richard Edelman, posted a note on his personal blog criticizing Ketchum's deal with Williams. "This kind of pay for play public relations takes us back in time to the days of the press agent who would drop off the new record album and $10 to the deejay. It makes our industry's efforts to 'clean up' behavior in newly created PR markets such as China and Russia look decidedly ridiculous," he wrote. [10]

"I know Ray Kotcher and Dave Drobis of Ketchum. I am sure that they would never tolerate this kind of contractual arrangement. I am also confident that they will take steps to assure that it never happens again," he wrote. While Edelman was confident Ketchum's management would take a stand against the practice, O'Dwyers PR Daily noted that "Kotcher has not returned this website's phone and e-mail requests for comment." [11]

"Some things are black and white. We need to set a very high standard of disclosure for our business, with total transparency on funding sources and mission. We should also eschew any practice that calls into question the integrity of the information being disseminated. Let's try to turn this negative for our industry into a positive, by making a long term commitment to the best ethical behavior," Edelman wrote.

While the White House equivocated, the Public Relations Society of America issued a statement saying "the relationship should have been disclosed up front, no question." [12]

On January 26, 2005 a similar arrangement surfaced between Maggie Gallagher and the Department of Health and Human Services involving her paid support of the Bush administration's "healthy marriage" initiative, which she did not disclose. On January 28, 2005 it was revealed that Michael McManus, a syndicated columnist who writes Ethics & Religion, was paid up to $10,000 to support the administration's marriage initiative to divert funds from welfare to marital counselling, which he did not disclose. [13] January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Maggie Gallagher is a United States writer and commentator who has written a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate since 1995. ... The United States Department of Health and Human Services, often abbreviated HHS, is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Michael McManus (born February 5, 1959) is a syndicated columnist who write Ethics & Religion. ...

On September 30, 2005, the Government Accountability Office released a report concluding that the payments to Armstrong were an illegal action on the part of the Deaprtment of Education because the government's role in the public relations effort was not disclosed. [14] September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative agency of the United States Congress. ...

Other business interests

Williams is also the CEO of the Graham Williams Group (GWG), which is described in his biographical note as an "international public relations firm with clients in entertainment, politics, business and charitable organizations". According to a biographical note some clients of GWG include "Century 21, Computerland executive Terry Giles and poet laureate Maya Angelou." [15] Maya Angelou Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Ann Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. ...

Williams is listed with the Premiere Speakers Bureau as available for key note presentations on "Business, Evangelism & Outreach, Patriotic" for $10,000 per presentation. [16]

See also

• Maggie Gallagher
• Michael McManus (columnist)
• Bush administration payment of columnists

Maggie Gallagher is a United States writer and commentator who has written a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate since 1995. ... Michael McManus (born February 5, 1959) is a syndicated columnist who write Ethics & Religion. ... The Bush administration payment of columnists refers to the payment of public funds to right-wing media commentators by several U.S. executive departments under Cabinet officials to promote various policies of U.S. President George W. Bushs administration. ...

Books by Williams

• Armstrong Williams, Letters to a young victim: Hope and Healing in America's Inner Cities, Scribner Paper Fiction, October 1996. ISBN 0-684824663
• Armstrong Williams, Beyond Blame: How We Can Succeed by Breaking the Dependency Barrier, Free Press, May 1995. ISBN 0-029353653

External links

• Williams's website
• "Armstrong Williams", Townhall.com, accessed January 2005.
• "Armstrong Williams", Current Biography, May 2004.
• "Armstrong Williams:Archive", Townhall.com, accessed January 2005.
• Tribune Media Services, "Armstrong Williams", accessed January 2005.
• "Statement by Tribune Media Services", Poynter Online - Forums, January 7, 2005.
• Premiere Speakers Bureau, "Armstrong Williams: One of the most recognized conservative voices in America", accessed January 2005.
• Greg Toppo, "Education Dept. paid commentator to promote law", USA Today, January 7, 2005. (Also archived on Common Dreams website).
• People for the American Way, "Neas on Armstrong Willams "Payola" Contract: Unethical, Scandalous Waste of Taxpayer Dollars", Media Release, January 7, 2005.
• Dave Astor, "Armstrong Williams Column Axed by TMS", Editor & Publisher, January 7, 2005.
• Dave Astor, "Another Problem for Commentator Who Took Bush Money?", Editor & Publisher, January 7, 2005.
• Media Matters for America, "Armstrong Williams promoted Bush policies in writing, too", January 7, 2005.
• "Media Targets Armstrong Williams", NewsMax.com, January 7, 2005.
• Erica Iacono, "Ketchum embroiled in White House propaganda flap again", PR Week, January 7, 2005. (Sub req'd).
• Richard Edelman, "Pay to Play PR is Not On", Rich Edelman, January 7, 2005.
• Ben Feller, "Agency paid commentator to push Bush education plan: Officials defend it, but Armstrong Williams now calls criticism of the deal 'legitimate'", Houston Chronicle, January 8, 2005. (This is an Associated Press story).
• Howard Kurtz, "Administration Paid Commentator: Education Dept. Used Williams to Promote 'No Child' Law", Washington Post, January 8, 2005.
• "Administration Agitprop", Editorial, Washington Post, January 8, 2005.
• Armstrong Williams, "My apology, Townhall.com, January 10, 2005.
• Dave Astor, "Several Papers Nix Self-Syndicated Armstrong Williams Column", Editor & Publisher, January 10, 2005.
• David Corn, "Armstrong Williams: I Am Not Alone", The Nation, January 10, 2005.
• Media Matters of America, "Armstrong Williams's conflicting statements on disclosure", January 10, 2005.
• Andrew Wallenstein, "Sinclair Investigates Commentator Williams", Reuters, January 11, 2005.
• "White House says Armstrong Williams case was isolated incident", WTVM9, January 11, 2005.
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, "CREW Files 22 FOIAs Today to Uncover Government Agency Dealings with PR Firms; Armstrong Williams DOE Contract May be Tip of the Iceberg", Media Release, January 11, 2005.
• Laurie Spivak, "The Conservative Marketing Machine", Alternet, January 11, 2005.
• Public Relations Society of America, "Statement on Disclosure of Financial Interests", Media release, January 11, 2005. ("PRSA strongly objects to any paid endorsement that is not fully disclosed as such and is presented as objective news coverage,"PRSA President and CEO Judith T. Phair stated.)
• "Richard Edelamn blasts Ketchum for "Pay for Play" deal", O'Dwyer's PR Daily, January 12, 2005.
• Stuart Elliot, "A Paid Endorsement Ignites a Debate in the Public Relations Industry", New York Times, January 12, 2005.
• FireArmstrongWilliams.com (a site campaigning against Williams).
• Bob Burton, "The Other Armstrong Williams Scandal" (Armstrong allowing his radio program to be used by a tobacco industry funded group as a platform to attack FDA moves aimed at preventing youth from smoking).

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