By Paul Johnson, 365gay.com, January 28, 2005

28 Jan 2005 // (Washington) Despite assurances from President Bush this week that the White House has ordered his cabinet not to hire journalists to promote the administration's agenda, a third journalist has been found to be taking payola.

Michael McManus, whose syndicated column, "Ethics & Religion," appears in 50 newspapers, was hired as a subcontractor by the Department of Health and Human Services to promote an administration marriage initiative, according to USA Today and Salon.com.

In several columns McManus touted the Bush "family" plan. He was allegedly paid approximately $10,000 for his work.

McManus also provided training at two HHS-sponsored conferences.

The new revelations came after it was learned Syndicated conservative columnist Maggie Gallagher and prominent black conservative writer/broadcaster Armstrong Williams were also paid by the administration to promote the marriage initiative.

Both Gallagher and Williams have a long history of attacking gays.

In a column following the November 2 election Williams linked gay rights advocates with organized crime. (story)

"Despite the rhetoric that you hear from the homosexual Cosa Nostra, the lack of support for the gay marriage amendment has nothing to do with prejudice," he wrote.

In 2003 Gallagher testified before a Senate subcommittee in support of a constitutional ban on gay marriage. (story)

Following the revelation earlier this week that she had been on the administrations' payroll Bush said has instructed his cabinet not to allow it to occur again. (story)

The contracts may have broken federal law in addition to the ethics of journalism.

Congress has prohibited propaganda," or any sort of lobbying for programs funded by the government, said Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "And it's propaganda."

Rep. George Miller of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee has called for an investigation.