FCC Member Urges Armstrong Williams Probe

[wicket]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=3&u=/ap/20050113/ap_on_go_ot/fcc_williams

A member of the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) said Thursday the agency should investigate whether conservative commentator Armstrong Williams broke the law by failing to disclose that the Bush administration paid him $240,000 to plug its education policies.

Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, a Democrat, said the agency has received about a dozen complaints against Williams.

"I certainly hope the FCC (news - web sites) will take action and fully investigate whether any laws have been broken," Adelstein said at the commission's regular monthly meeting.

None of the other commissioners responded to his statement during the meeting. Afterward, both FCC Chairman Michael Powell, a Republican, and David Solomon, who heads the agency's enforcement bureau, declined to comment.

[Qutzupalotl]

1. Rate this a 5, everyone.

More people will see it.

[Ian David]

2. The same FCC that Colin Powell's son is on?

Did Armstrong Williams show a naked boobie?

It's a nice thought, but I doubt anything will come of this.

[tyne]

5. cripes

The Pres makes $200,000/yr.

We paid this guy $240,000.

Tyne

[AP]

15. Prez makes 400K now. They changed the salary...

...when Clinton was president, but they didn't let it take effect until Bush was president.

[KerryReallyWon]

10. Yep, Colin's son...

[IndianaGreen]

14. Michael Powell is more concerned about boobs on TV

than he is about the Government paying journalists to parrot the Administration line, in violation of US law I may add.

[Walt Starr]

51. Yeah, but he's not concerned about dicks on Rush Limbaugh

Can you say, "double standard"? I knew that you could!

[KoKo]

28. Powell's son HEADS the FCC...There are two Dems to three Repugs...

[KoKo]

29. Here's what I sent to the FCC:

FCC Commissioners:

I urge an investigation immediately into how Armstrong Williams (and possibly others) are now using the "Public" airwaves for propaganda with MY TAX DOLLARS.

The citzens of the US have the ownership of the Airwaves but they have been given over to Propaganda Pushers like Williams to mouthpiece partisan support for legislation.

I am sure that Williams is just the "tip of the iceberg on this issue as it seems that there's litte opposing view of this Administrations Policies on our nation's airwaves these days.

Until "Air America" debuted our radio listeners were subjected to years of all day onslaughts of conservative opinion from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and his ilk.

Media Deregulation and the cancelling of the "Fairness Doctrine" have allowed us to have this Propaganda fed to us by those on the dole from the Right Wing Think tanks like Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute and others.

A full investigation into PAYOLA from the Think Tanks and from our own Government should be launched immediately. The media conglomerates like Clear Channel and Sinclair, should also be investigated for promoting commentators like Williams who have such doctrinaire viewpoints.

In addition to Payola..we have the questionable character of people who are broadcasting over our public airwaves.

Talk show Conservative Rush Limbaugh involved in meeting "bagmen" in parking lots to satisfy his addiction to pain killers and recently Fox Commentator Bill O'Reilly involved in settling a lawsuit for "phone sex."

This is not responsible Media. This is Propaganda by those who in another time would have been promptly fired and served with some jail time.

Thanks you for your consideration.

[KoKo]

30. In addition to using Link at Free Press...here's Dem Comish Michael Copps

personal e-mail. It's probably good to send it there too.

http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/copps/mail.html

[Robbien]

34. Thanks. I used it and sent my request there also

This payola is wrong on so many levels. It is tough to believe the GOPers are not getting behind this mess.

[yorkiemommie1]

40. thanks -- i emailed him n/t

[Maine-ah]

44. email sent

:bounce:

[Scout1071]

46. LOOK INTO FLEISHMAN-HILLARD

As I said on another board last night - we need to look into Fleishman-Hillard. They are the ones that paid Williams?

Get this...on a smaller scale, but relevant nonetheless. In Kansas City Aug 04, there was a vote before the people to raise the car rental and hotel tax in order to fund a new, MUCH-NEEDED, downtown arena. There was huge, widespread community support. Yet a group popped up to oppose the arena and began running some serious media. Made to look like a grassroots group. Further investigation by local supporters found that the group was actually being run and represented by Fleish-Hill and Enterprise Rental car.

HERE IS THE KICKER - Turned out that Fleish-Hill "contributed" to a local council-woman who represented a large, predominantly african-american district and she campaigned vigorously against arena. Once this was disclosed to the public (and she returned part of the money), she suddenly changed her mind on the arena and supported it. A recall petition has gathered all the appropriate signatures and they are trying to throw her ass out.

Also, a few nights before the vote, a Hall of Fame NBA Player and former Kansas City King player went on the news to say that he had been contacted by the same group and offered a bribe to publicly come out against the arena. He was so pissed off they tried to bribe him to change his stance that he called the news. They denied it, but he was all to happy to show the caller ID to the news cameras and have them call the number on the spot.

All of that on a smaller scale, but I'm definitely detecting a pattern of conducting business here......

[outrage]

50. Your letter to FCC

Awesome. I love it. I think I'll fire off a similar missive. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

[Cocoa]

3. Powell is using Rummy's tactic

Powell said he had not seen the complaints filed against Williams.

[RetroLounge]

4. "has received about a dozen complaints "

Well, what are we waiting for? Lets complain!

RL

[Robbien]

13. And FreePress makes it easy

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=5292608&url_num=2&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/petition.php?n=payolapunditry

just click through, sign and submit.

[wicket]

18. great link, thanks!

:thumbsup:

[louis-t]

19. done

[Dhalgren]

23. According to the site you link,

there have been over 13,000 letters sent to Chairman Powel about this issue. Poel says he hasn't "seen the complaints"? WTF?

[Robbien]

26. The Women's Right to Life March in DC had 500,000 protesters

The so called liberal media said tens of thousands.

Bush and Rummy said pockets of Iraqi resistance, perhaps a thousand or two. The miltary consultants said 200,000 Iraqi fighters.

Do you expect this to be any different?

[FizzFuzz]

59. it was more like 1 million marchers, largest march of any kind in history

Police estimated it at 500,000 because they always underestimate numbers, so it was explained to me. There had been problems with lawsuits or something in the past? about other crowd estimates that were too high ??

Anyway, 500,000 is what is generally the number given now, but the NOW website and Planned Parenthood, according to assiduous tallies taken by following a well used system for counting this kind of thing, give the number as 1 million. (Or is it 1.5 mil? I don't remember)

So yeah, your point anyway---media conglomerate. Bunch of liars and self-serving pigs.

[Supersedeas]

31. thanks Robb...done.

[mojavekid]

33. done

Thanks for the link!

[Judi Lynn]

49. Thanks a lot for making it easy. Very helpful. n/t

[ohtransplant]

20. Done! n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Just a dozen complaints?

You'd think there would be a mass campaign going on to urge the FCC to undergo an investigation.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. So what's the number?

I've got the phone in my hand!!!

[Robbien]

22. See the freepress link

to make it easy,here it is again:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=5292608&url_num=2&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/petition.php?n=payolapunditry

[ohtransplant]

24. Here you go. Contact info from FCC website.

* Postal Mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Complaints
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554


* E-Mail:
You can send a complaint to [email protected]


* Phone:
Toll Free: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice, 1-888-TELL- FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY. Our Consumer and Mediation Specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET


* Fax:
Toll-Free: 1-866-418-0232


We need the following information when you file a general complaint with the FCC:

Your name, address and the telephone number or numbers involved with your complaint; (if telephone related)

A telephone number where you can be reached during the business day;

Specific information about your complaint, including the names of all companies involved with your complaint;


What type of resolution are you seeking?

[AP]

16. The boob fines are based on only one or two complaints...

...so 12 complaints to the FCC is like a groundswell.

[KoKo]

32. contact Dem Commish directly, too: Here's the link to personal e-mail:

http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/copps/mail.html

[Chipper Chat]

8. In 1999, if Bill Clinton had paid Al Franken $240,000

(or any media leftie) to plug ANY Dem-passed policy or law - you can bet the cost of the dubya inaugeration that Repukes would have been screaming to the rafters for "Impeachment Two."

[yellowcanine]

9. I am confused. Why is this an FCC issue? Why not the General Accounting

Office and maybe the Justice Department? Isn't it illegal to give public money to an individual to have them say nice things about your programs? And shouldn't the individual have to pay the money back or be prosecuted for theft?

[Cocoa]

17. separate request to GAO

immediately after the bribe became public, the GAO was asked to look into it.

[louis-t]

21. Only if you are a Democrat.

[Jane Austin]

52. Is there a racial component here?

Why are they focusing on Armstrong Williams and FCC issues instead of on the criminal actions of the Education Department of the bush administration?

With bush condemning these payoffs, doesn't this start to look like the third conservative African-American they've let do their dirty work for them and then taken no responsibilty for their part in it?

Colin Powell: speech before the UN
Condaleeza Rice: Everything
Armstrong Williams: The current flap

I'm no fan of any of the above three, but I sure do think busco has a way of using its minority paratisans.

[Robbien]

55. The taxpayer funded calendar saying how wonderful the GOP is

also targets race.

Gadflyer talks about the issue

"Like the Education Department's contract with black commentator Armstrong Williams, the Republican Freedom Calendar represents an alarming use of taxpayer dollars for Republican propaganda aimed primarily at African-Americans.

The Calendar tells us that "every single African-American in Congress until 1935 was a Republican." It does not mention that the situation is quite different today, when the 109th Congress has 43 black Democrats--and not a single black Republican."

and much more:
http://gadflyer.com/articles/?ArticleID=259

[Scout1071]

56. I would hope not, but if you read my post

above, I list 2 other (smaller scale) incidents of attempted bribes in KC. One was rather successful until the constituents caught on. Nobody could understand why there was a lone hold-out councilwoman, until it was discovered that she had accepted what was essentially a bribe. She eventually returned a portion of the money when the community moved - successfully - to recall her.

[proud2BlibKansan]

61. More dirt on McFadden-Weaver

Third District residents criticized McFadden-Weaver for supporting the Oak Pointe Development long past the time when many of them were protesting the KCNA's plan. Several of McFadden-Weaver's political foes turned up at meetings to blast her involvement with the development; among those was her former 3rd District seat opponent Ron Finley, who serves as Stapleton's legal council, and Clinton Adams, who appeared at the PIEA meeting as Houston's lawyer (see David Martin's "The Grudge Report," January 6). Simmons says McFadden-Weaver lost the petitions that were given to her with thousands of signatures supporting Leon's.

Charles Brown, who owns the strip mall's barbershop, says he will remember McFadden-Weaver -- not the KCNA -- as the one who threatened his business. He has watched a videotape of the April 14, 2004, Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee meeting at which the Oak Pointe Development was praised. "Saundra's running her mouth, and Troy Nash is co-signing it," he says, calling the ordeal "black-on-black crime perpetrated by our elected officials."

http://www.pitch.com/issues/2005-01-13/news/stline.htm

[Robbien]

11. Join in on urging the FCC to investigate

FreePress has a nice easy link to just sign.

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=5292608&url_num=2&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/petition.php?n=payolapunditry

"Laws have been broken. Williams issued an apology in hopes that this scandal will go away. With your help, it won't. Join us in demanding that Congress and the FCC launch a thorough investigation and introduce legislation to outlaw "payola punditry"."

[KoKo]

27. DU'ers pleas sign this Petition to the FCC...They claim they've only

gotten a "dozen" complaints. We need to hound them about this...Please just sign the petition and add comments if you want to...but signing is important!

[wildwww2]

42. I signed it. And I hope it does some good.

Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[LWolf]

57. Done.

:kick:

[arcane1]

12. you're god-damned RIGHT

and get some NAMES from him, too! :grr:

[yellowcanine]

36. But little Scotty said it was an ISOLATED incident, No one else involved.

"See that bridge over there? I can get you a good deal on it - for you big discount!

[arcane1]

37. little slimy Scotty would tell you the sky is green

if necessary


sadly for him, Mr Williams himself said there are 'others'


:grr:

[Robbien]

39. The Dept. of Ed had millions for PR, Williams got $241,000

Don't tell me those cardboard cutouts of little red schoolhouses took up the rest of the money. I would not believe it.

And the Dept of Ed is only one government office pushing offensive policies.

Write to Democratic Commissioner Cobb of the FCC and request an investigation:
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/copps/mail.html

[Walt Starr]

25. Think the cockroach mediawhores will go scurrying away from the light

if Williams goes to prison?

[Greybnk48]

35. Was Kudlow paid with our money?

Here's another prime suspect; can't remember the jerks first name but I do remember the "interview" he conducted with Dicky "pig-valves" Cheney a few years back. I don't remember the content of the on-air interview but I distinctly remember that the whole thing revulsed me at the time. It was later revealed, with no repurcussions, that Cheny either wrote all of the questions or edited them prior to the interview.

I wonder if Kudlow got any of our tax money in a little checky-poo for his performance? Doesn't this qualify as propaganda? I thought so at the tiem and still do.

[KoKo]

38. Kudlow had a cocaine problem when he was head of Bear- Sterns.

He was in treatment and this was back in the 90's. But, I have a feeling he's had to pay back some favors. He had big ties to Reagan's supply siders. So he's "one of the boys." Could be money or favors..or a combination or either-or...but he sure whores for them every day...

[Chelsea Patriot]

41. Stop Drooling in Anticipation, Armstrong.

It's not that type of probe.

[oecher3]

43. Check. Hope it helps!

May this get as much attention as the Rather story, but knowing how the machine works, this will be swept away and kept calm.

Willliams is now saying, that his show was airing two commercials and that he got the money for those, which stated "paid by"

And in his view it has become a "witchhunt." He is a victim now, poor Mr. Williams.

[tom_paine]

45. Williams is a member of the Emperor's party or THE PARTY

as it was known in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

It is a well-known fact that in totalitarian Nations like those or Imperial Amerika, members of THE PARTY have free reign and cannot be touched.

Like Vulgar Pigbaugh and his felonious drug abuse which would have landed someone NOT in THE PARTY in jail quite swiftly.

As much chance of the corrupt and putrescent bootlicker Williams being prosecuted (maybe a phony tanked investigation like the one they staged for the Bushevik Anthrax Assassin, followed by the usual Great Forgetting of Imperial Amerika) as Julius Streicher being prosecuted by the Nazis for "unethical behavior".

EXACTLY the same cance, and no more.

[KoKo]

47. Please sign the petition because RW is now going after Dean linking him

to Williams as part of some "Payola Scam" because Dean Campaign gave money to Internet Blog Sites.

There's no comparison using Campaign money donated specifically to Dean to use as he wanted and Armstrong Williams taking tax payer money from our Dept. of Education to spread Repuglican Propaganda.

[KoKo]

48. Keep Kicking......Please folks let your voices be heard....

[AzDar]

53. Armstrong Williams is a ho....kick! n/t

[Malikshah]

54. Dozen? The FCC guy was on Randi Rhodes and mentioned

Twelve thousand I thought...did anyone else here the interview yesterday?

She's planning on writing one vs Cheney as well

Damn--I hope Randi gets on this and trumpets it as well.

[SoCalDem]

58. They better wash that probe before they put it away

:)

[proud2BlibKansan]

60. Only a dozen complaints?

DUers better get busy :)