It turns out Armstrong Williams isn’t the only aggressive journalistic backer of Bush administration policies who was at one point paid by the Bush administration. Maggie Gallagher, perhaps the chief journalistic advocate of the constitutional ban on civil marriage for gays, also received, by her account, $21,500 in 2002 to write materials related to the administration’s promotion of civil marriage. She never disclosed the income – even though she continued to write as an independent journalist on the issue of marriage, especially the Federal Marriage Amendment. Here’s her defense:
In 2001, HHS approached me to do some work on marriage issues for the government, including to do a presentation on the social science evidence on the benefits of marriage for HHS regional managers, to draft an essay for Wade Horn on how government can strengthen marriage, and to prepare drafts of community brochures: The Top Ten Reasons Marriage Matters, stuff like that.
The contract reads; “ACF is pursuing research to create knowledge about the dynamics of marriage among low-income populations, and potential strategies states might pursue to strengthen marriage. ACF needs additional expertise to accomplish this work.
“Statement of work: The Contractor shall consult with and assist ACF in ongoing work related to strengthening marriage, and provide assistance advice on development of new research activities in this area. The contractor shall performa a variety of activities including (but not limited to) providing information on the programs to strengthen marriage, advising on the dissemination of materials, and participating in meetings and workshops.”
The contract did not authorize a general consulting fee. Instead, it authorized payment for actual work performed, to be submitted and approved via separate invoice.
She argues, reasonably, that her case is not a direct equivalent to Williams’. She received a tenth of the money, and wasn’t paid to be a mere flack for a piece of legislation. She just worked for the government, while seeming to be writing independently of any government position. Howie Kurtz asked her whether she should have disclosed this information:
My first instinct is to say, no, Howard, I had no special obligation to disclose this information. I’m a marriage expert. I get paid to write, edit, research, and educate on marriage. If a scholar or expert gets paid to do some work for the government, should he or she disclose that if he writes a paper, essay, or op-ed on the same or similar subject? If this is the ethical standard, it is an entirely new standard. I was not paid to promote marriage. I was paid to produce particular research and writing products (articles, brochures, presentations) which I produced. My lifelong experience in marriage research, public education and advocacy is the reason HHS hired me.
But the real truth is that it never occurred to me. On reflection, I think Howard is right. I should have disclosed a government contract, when I later wrote about the Bush marriage initiative. I would have, if I had remembered it. My apologies to my readers.
I wonder who else is out there.
The Dish 