January 10, 2005

Jail Time for Armstrong

Jon Henke dug up the appropriate federal law that indicates the Department of Education/Armstrong Williams deal violated the law. Now Henke's asking that all guilty parties endure "jail-time, and/or substantive fines." Maybe Henke's trying to prove just how tough a right winger can be toward another right winger. Seriously, Armstrong Williams should be put in jail? Come on. There's fraud where the end result is people getting hurt, but at worst, Williams engaged in government-funded propaganda. The victims were Williams' listeners and readers who were mislead. Their damage is mildly psychic.

Bringing this lousy transaction into the light of day destroyed his credibility. Tribune Media Services dropped his syndicated column. And will anyone take what he says seriously whenever he's a cable news talking head? Williams' reputation is toast, and it will take years to repair the damage. Henke may think what Williams has suffered is just a slap on the wrist, but for a public intellectual (and I use that term loosely) to have their credibility flushed down the toilet it's more than a mere slap.

"Payola at the Highest Levels"