Another Media Member paid off

And the truth keeps leaking out. Another columnist paid off by the administration to support Bush's Marriage plan. Mike McManus, a columnist syndicated in 30 to 40 newspapers, was paid to train marriage mentors and sub-contracted by the Lewin Group to support the marriage programs. Perhaps even more disturbing, McManus has a non-profit group "marriage savers" that was paid $49,000 from a group that received a grant from HHS (health and Human Services) to promote marriage to unwed couples having children.

Since the consulting deals began in January 2003, McManus has touted Bush's marriage initiative in several of his columns. At least three of them quoted Horn, a former member of the Marriage Savers board of directors. Horn's office manages the grant and contract under which McManus' group is paid.

McManus, who has been quoted as a marriage expert in publications that include USA TODAY, defended his dual role as a journalist and a government consultant. "I don't see that it's relevant," he said. "I was hired because we have an expertise in working with churches."

posted by Sarai @ 10:23 AM