Gov. Bush hires writer accused of plagiarism

[Newsjock]

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050107/NEWS/501070543/1060

By JOE FOLLICK
CAPITAL BUREAU

TALLAHASSEE -- The day after Gov. Jeb Bush fired a top official over sexual harassment allegations, Bush's office confirmed it had hired a former journalist who resigned in November following public allegations of plagiarism and sexual harassment.

Lloyd Brown, 65, resigned his position as editorial page editor of the Florida Times- Union in Jacksonville on Nov. 2 after a newspaper said its review found instances of plagiarism in some of the editorials Brown had written.

... Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre said Thursday that Brown was hired Dec. 20 at an annual salary of $80,000 as a staff writer. In the position, Brown writes speeches, letters to the editor and other material for Bush.

more

[skypilot]

1. Sounds about right.

The Republicans are good at nothing if not scraping from the bottom of the barrel.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. More family vaues by the Repukes.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Of course. They want someone who likes writing lies.

[Trillo]

10. And who probably trolls message boards, looking for

phrases to cut and paste.

[NVMojo]

4. media release from Reid's office about this....

For Immediate Release



DATE: Thursday, January 06, 2005

Lawmakers Demand President Bush STOP Paying
Journalists to Promote Administration Policies

Reid, Lautenberg, Kennedy Also Ask President If His
Administration Has Paid Other Journalists to Promote
other Policies, including Social Security Privatization



WASHINGTON, DC – In light of alarming news that the Bush administration paid a popular conservative radio commentator and columnist almost a quarter of a million dollars to skew his reporting to promote the No Child Left Behind Act, United States Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Harry Reid (D-NV) sent a letter to President Bush today demanding that he recover the money paid to Armstrong Williams, citing federal laws that prohibit such activity. In addition, the lawmakers also asked President Bush to disclose any payments to other journalists to push Administration policies, including President Bush’s decision to privatize Social Security.

In news reports today, it was revealed conservative pundit and commentator Armstrong Williams was paid $240,000 to promote President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act on his syndicated radio program and in addition, to urge other pundits to routinely hype the law during their own appearances on other programs.

In their letter to President Bush, the Lawmakers cite federal laws that prohibit taxpayer funds from being spent by the Executive Branch for “Covert Propaganda”.

“In addition to the illegality of these actions taken by your Administration, we believe that the act of bribing journalists to bias their news in favor of government policies undermines the integrity of our democracy. Actions like this were common in the Soviet Union, but until now, thought to be long extinguished in our country,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter to President Bush sent today.

These revelations regarding Mr. Williams are the latest – and most disturbing – in a series of actions by your Administration to manipulate public opinion through covert propaganda. On May 19, 2004, the GAO found that your Administration illegally spent taxpayer funds on covert propaganda by paying Ketchum Incorporated to produce fake news stories promoting the image of the new Medicare law.

The links below are examples of syndicated columns published by the Tribune Media Company from Armstrong Williams in support of the No Child Left Behind Act.


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/Armstrongwilliams/printaw20040524.shtml


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/Armstrongwilliams/printaw20040107.shtml


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/Armstrongwilliams/printaw20040301.shtml


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/Armstrongwilliams/printaw20040514.shtml

[Just Me]

7. I have raised hell about the "covert propaganda" for some time.

At least a letter has been written to the offender!!!

I love the part that goes: "Actions like this were common in the Soviet Union, but until now, thought to be long extinguished in our country,”

Now, a full-investigation by an independent counsel must be demanded, no negotiations!!!

[klyon]

8. he is just the latest

Not long ago it was reveled that a number of right leaning TV personalities and guests took a lot of money to take sides and push.

KL

[ClintonTyree]

14. Wrong.............

Bush stupidity article. This one's about bonehead brother Jeb.

[Mr_Spock]

15. Can thee killer be impeached yet?

How much longer do we have to wait?

[soup]

5. Hmm, what's this?

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2004
Florida Times-Union panel to probe plagiarism allegations
Florida Times-Union | Folio Weekly
A Times-Union committee will look into a former editorial page staffer's report that some T-U opinion pieces "were largely culled from 'research' fed to the paper by the far right." In her Folio Weekly story, Billee Bussard also says she complained to bosses about editorial page editor Lloyd Brown's habit of looking at Internet porn at work. "The Times-Union publishes a daily Bible quotation on its editorial page," writes Bussard. "During my time at the paper, I was occasionally responsible for picking the quotations. In late 1996, a period when Lloyd Brown’s porn habit became increasingly unbearable, I tried to pick material that I hoped would send him -- and upper management -- a message." (Romenesko's call to Brown on Friday went to his voice-mail. He hasn't returned the comment request.)
http://www.poynter.org/dg.lts/id.45/aid.72905/column.htm

[soup]

6. diggin' in the dirt

Porn, Hypocrisy, Plagiarism: The Dark Side of Jacksonville's Daily

By Billee Bussard (Freelancer)
Editor's Note

Prior to publishing this story, Folio Weekly reviewed extensive documentation relating to incidents described here. Among the documents were Billee Bussard’s numerous letters of complaint to the Times-Union and the Times-Union’s sole written response, an August 1998 letter signed by Lloyd Brown acknowledging his "addiction to the Internet and possession of pornography." Folio Weekly also examined Bussard’s extensive work logs, her correspondence with attorneys and computer printouts of hundreds of photo downloads taken from Lloyd Brown’s computer discs.

Folio Weekly spoke with Florida Times-Union assistant publisher Bobby Martin, who sat in on at least one meeting with Brown and Bussard. Martin declined to comment on "personnel matters, whether it did or didn’t happen." He added, "I don’t know why Billee would bring that up ... I don’t know what her point is." Publisher Carl Cannon did not return a call seeking comment.

Folio Weekly also attempted to interview Lloyd Brown. In a brief telephone conversation last week, Brown was asked about Bussard’s allegations of his workplace use of Internet porn and her claim that this created a hostile workplace environment. He responded: "No, I don’t know anything about that. Billee left us -- I think she had some kind of complaint. I don’t know." Pressed about the reasons for Bussard’s departure from the editorial page department, Brown replied: "I can’t go into all that." He added, "I hope you all are careful about publishing any unsubstantiated allegations," before hanging up.

http://www.altweeklies.com/gyrobase/AltWeeklies/Story?oid=oid%3A139917

[NYC]

30. ...research fed to the paper by the far right...

...A Times-Union committee will look into a former editorial page staffer's report that some T-U opinion pieces "were largely culled from 'research' fed to the paper by the far right."...

Just stressing the point for everyone. How long do you figure he was on Bush's payroll?

[ally_sc]

9. figures...

nfm

[grasswire]

11. this is a juicy story

I wonder why Bush hired him, considering his creepiness.

[Anakin Skywalker]

12. Because Bush himself is creepy!

His ilk always are. Creeps like being in each other's company.

[0007]

33. Birds of the feathers flock together!

[ClintonTyree]

16. As a reporter.............

I imagine he's had many opportunities to dig up dirt on Jebbie. That Jebbie hired him instead of killing him says a lot about that information. It must be pretty damn bad and backed up pretty good.
Otherwise I can't see Jeb getting involved with this scumbag. But sometimes all scum rises to the top at once I guess.

[tanyev]

17. Hypocrisy?Lies?

He demonstrated he would fit right in with the team.

[RadicalMom]

25. They probably hired him because he'd lost his job...

Because he'd already been a good Bush team player.

[Pale_Rider]

13. Shhhh ... keep this story on the quiet ...

... and let the hilarity begin! :evilgrin:

[despairing optimist]

18. Do I hear Medal of Freedom winner?

[Oreegone]

19. Ok I am laughing now....

That was the reason I logged on. It was my first thought another Bush "Winner".

By the way can we start calling them the "Golden Calf Worshipers" Party?

[despairing optimist]

21. Too bad Edward G. Robinson is dead . . .

He would have made the perfect party leader. Catch him as Moses' brother Aaron in C.B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments." Aaron was inciting the Israelites to melt down their jewelry to make the golden calf while his brother dallied with the deity on the mountaintop.

As I said, a match made in heaven, though Chuck Heston got to hold the tablets and the staff. Too bad.

EDIT: Added the plot explanation.

[Ms. Clio]

20. Those Bushistas sure know how to pick 'em

A known liar and cheater--he's perfect for them!

[imenja]

22. Perfect. One liar for another n/t

[RadicalMom]

23. It's appropriate. n/t

[MergeLeft]

24. Runs in the family

[gnofg]

26. Hire

Barnicle and Ralph Reed . Two well known plagarists.

[Cheswick2.0]

27. they have probably paid him for years

just like Anderson Williams. I'll bet Jeb hired him full time to keep his mouth shut.

[Misunderestimator]

28. What's the problem? It's in the job description after all... to write...

...speeches, letters to the editor and other material for Bush.

Why wouldn't he hire someone who already has experience doing exactly what he needs done.

[poe]

29. den of thieves

who better to recant the company lie

[Massachusetts]

31. Why so suprised????

[shuffnew]

32. Yet another example of what we pay for with OUR tax dollars! n/t

:puke: