Maggie Gallagher and Armstrong Williams, 2005 News

syndicated columnists, were widely criticized in early 2005 for getting paid by the government to promote President Bush's agenda. Gallagher received $21,500 for writing favorable articles in 2002 and 2003 about Bush's “healthy marriage” initiative. Williams was paid $241,000 for promoting the No Child Left Behind Act on his cable TV and syndicated radio shows. Both apologized for not publicly acknowledging they were paid for their work, and the Bush administration announced it would end the practice.