Pundit Armstrong Williams settles case over promoting education reforms

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-20-williams_x.htm?csp=1

Pundit Armstrong Williams settles case over promoting education reforms
Posted 10/20/2006 8:20 PM ET


By Greg Toppo, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Conservative pundit Armstrong Williams, whose 2003 deal to promote President Bush's education reforms on TV, radio and in newspapers spawned a government-wide crackdown on propaganda, will pay $34,000 for not delivering all that his contract required, according to documents signed Friday.

The settlement puts to rest a civil investigation that stretched more than a year and a half and could have cost Williams $64,000 — but which did not address whether he wrongly promoted the Bush administration's education agenda. Instead, the Justice Department investigation examined whether he was paid for public service ads he didn't produce.

Under the settlement, Williams admits no wrongdoing. He did not face criminal charges in the case, says Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office within the Justice Department.

"The (Education) Department is pleased to see this matter come to a close," Katherine McLane, spokesperson for Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Friday. "As one of her first actions at the Department, Secretary Spellings took aggressive action to correct the situation and create clear guidelines to prevent future occurrences."

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