FSM HOT TOPICS
House panel wants details of stimulus ad campaign on MSNBC
September 6, 2012
Leaders of a House panel want a Tennessee public relations firm to turn over records on roughly $2 million in federal stimulus program contracts it won from the Department of Labor, including details of the work it did on a nearly half-million-dollar ad campaign on MSNBC that reported creating no jobs.
Republicans on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce also called on the company, McNeely, Pigott & Fox LLC, to turn over information about a $1.5 million stimulus contract awarded to the firm in 2009 for work under the federal Job Corps program, according to a recent letter lawmakers sent to Mike Pigott, a founding partner at the firm.
The committee's letter cited a report last month by The Washington Times on the Labor Department's use of nearly $500,000 in federal stimulus funds to hire the public relations firm. The firm ran more than 100 ads touting Job Corps training in environmentally friendly career areas, which aired on MSNBC programs hosted by Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann in 2009.
In their letter to Mr. Pigott, the lawmakers sought, among other things, information about the public relations strategy for the Labor Department's Job Corps program and any documents or communications relating to the decision to make media purchases on MSNBC.
The letter was signed by four committee members, including the chairman, Rep. John Kline of Minnesota. The public relations firm declined to comment when contacted by The Washington Times and referred all questions to the Department of Labor.
A Labor spokesman said the department is aware of the letter and will respond. Republican committee leaders separately have called on Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis to turn over government records on the decision to spend nearly a half-million dollars in stimulus funds for cable television commercials.
But according to their letter, committee members also are seeking details on a second Labor Department contract for $1.5 million awarded to the public relations firm funded through the stimulus program.
Join FSM and stay informed. Get your daily Security Update delivered each day to your e-mail.
June 19, 2013 07:15 PM
That’s exactly what happened, as evidenced by this quote from President Obama at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland: 'If towns remain divided—if Catholics have their schools and buildings and Protestants have theirs, if we can't see ourselves in one another and fear or resentment are allowed to harden—that too encourages division and discourages cooperation,' […]
Amanda Marcotte: GOP politicians obsessed with young women having sex
June 19, 2013 05:46 PM
Logic is not exactly Amanda Marcotte’s strong suit. Case in point: Marcotte can’t seem to wrap her head around the idea that Republicans are capable of having opinions about abortion. The only way she can explain it is that they’re icky: It is always unnerving to realize how many creepy Republican politicians were once gynecologists.— […]
Chuck Grassley: IRS employees to receive $70 million in bonuses [correction added]
June 19, 2013 04:48 PM
After all the scandals & abuse of power coming from IRS, $70 million taxpayer dollars will be awarded to IRS employees in bonuses #IRS #tcot— CUCollegeRepublicans (@CampbellGOP) June 19, 2013 If this is true, it’s absolutely outrageous. According to Sen. Chuck Grassley, IRS employees are set to receive $70 million in bonuses. $70 million. From […]
‘Occupied': Protesters blockade Chicago elementary school to protest closing [photos]
June 19, 2013 04:36 PM
Last month, the Chicago Board of Education voted to close dozens of schools, and one of them was Lafayette Elementary. According to recent tweets, there is now some sort of “occupation” of the school under way, as well as a protest forming outside. According to Twitter users on the scene, the blockade/occupation includes parents and […]
Matthew Yglesias struggles to understand illegal immigration policy
June 19, 2013 04:08 PM
For once, Slate writer Matthew Yglesias is right. He is confused. His confusion comes in the wake of Ramesh Ponnuru’s observation that the Congressional Budget Office thinks the Gang of Eight bill will reduce future illegal immigration by only 25 percent. @RameshPonnuru writes CBO report has 'driven a stake through the heart of the Gang of […]
FSM Archives
blog comments powered by Disqus