Army Times: Senate targeting DoD 'propaganda' by handpicked 'media-analysts'

[blm]

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/military_propaganda_060908w/

Senate goes after DoD ‘propaganda’

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jun 9, 2008 18:22:12 EDT

Four Senate Democrats moved Monday to block the Pentagon from using taxpayer money for what the lawmakers call propaganda.

The legislative effort was launched in response to a defunct program in which some media analysts received preferential briefings about Iraq in the hope that they would provide favorable press coverage.

The bill introduced Monday is sponsored by Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, and Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez of New Jersey.

...

Kerry said having the Pentagon provide tailored briefings that help shape coverage of the war is bad policy.

“We’re going to make sure the public money isn’t used for propaganda campaigns that undermine the public trust,” Kerry said. “With confidence in Washington at an all-time low, the American people should not have to wonder whether the purportedly nonpartisan, expert analysis they see on television might have been shaped by a government propaganda campaign.

“The administration should be focusing all of its efforts on making Americans safer and more secure, not misleading marketing campaigns to keep them in the dark or smother competing opinions and dissent during a misguided war.”
>>>>>

[babylonsister]

1. Here's another link/thread.

Again, I wish they'd go after the people involved in this instead of just blocking future campaigns. I guess we take what we can get.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3415909

Senators introduce bill to block military propaganda campaigns.

Edited on Mon Jun-09-08 09:23 PM by thepurpose
Okay. For starters. Democrats please stop introducing bills that make already illegal activities illegal. If you don't have the balls to enforce the first law. Who do think believes you will enforce the second?

"Over the years, GAO has interpreted "publicity or propaganda" restrictions to preclude use of appropriated funds for, among other things, so-called "covert propaganda." ... Consistent with that view, OLC determined in 1988 that a statutory prohibition on using appropriated funds for "publicity or propaganda" precluded undisclosed agency funding of advocacy by third-party groups. We stated that "covert attempts to mold opinion through the undisclosed use of third parties" would run afoul of restrictions on using appropriated funds for "propaganda."


http://www.prwatch.org/node/7261

The Crypt reports that Sens. John F. Kerry (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced legislation today “to prohibit the Defense Department from using money for ‘propaganda.’” The bill would also “require the DoD inspector general and the Government Accountability Office to deliver related reports to Congress within 90 days.” The legislation is a response to the secret Pentagon propaganda program revealed in April by the New York Times.

http://thinkprogress.org/

[unhappycamper]

2. Here's your link:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/military_propaganda_060908w/

[blm]

3. Thanks - added it.

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