Military Domestic Propaganda Ban Signed Into Law

By Brian Lawson, PolitickerNH.com Reporter

For Immediate Release
October 17, 2008

Contact:
Jane Pauley,

603-223-9814 (Hodes)
Whitney Smith, 202-224-4159 (Kerry)

Military Domestic Propaganda Ban Signed Into Law
GAO to Conduct Investigation in Pentagon Military Analyst Program

Concord, NH--- Congressman Paul Hodes today commended President Bush signing a domestic military propaganda ban into law as part of the 2009 Defense Authorization Act. The Congress passed Congressman Paul Hodes' amendment to the 2009 Defense Authorization Bill to prohibit the Department of Defense (DOD) from engaging in propaganda programs and requiring the GAO to launch an investigation into the DOD Military Analyst Program.

The amendment bans any funds authorized for 2009 in this or any other Act from being used by the Department of Defense for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States.

The Hodes amendment also directs the

Inspector General of the Department of Defense and the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and report to Congress on the Department of Defense's program designed to indirectly influence media coverage of the War in Iraq through network and cable news media analysts. Senator John Kerry sponsored a similar measure in the US Senate.

"Congress cannot allow an Administration to manipulate the public with false propaganda on matters of war and our national security,"

Congressman Hodes said. "The people deserve answers and I look forward to the results of a full investigation into this program."

"With confidence in Washington at an all-time low, the American people should not have to wonder whether the 'non-partisan, expert' analysis they see on television might have been shaped by a government propaganda campaign," said Sen. Kerry. "It's essential to make sure the public's money isn't used for propaganda campaigns that undermine the public trust."

On Sunday April 20, the New York Times published a report alleging that the Pentagon used

undue influence with former military officers serving as "independent" military analysts commenting on developments on the war in Iraq for network news stations.

The report detailed a concerted effort by former

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield and Department of Defense officials to manipulate network news military analysts to promote Bush Administration spin on the war in Iraq, even though many analysts knew the information not to be accurate. In fact, one analyst referred to the efforts by the Pentagon as "brainwashing."

Media watchdog, Media Matters, issued a report detailing 4500 instances where these military analysts appeared on the public airwaves.

Recently, the FCC began an investigation into these media appearances to determine if any laws were broken.

BRIAN LAWSON is a PolitickerNH.com Reporter and can be reached via email at brian.lawson@politickernh.com.

Related topics: Paul Hodes, GAO, DoD, propaganda bill

If you liked this article, subscribe to The Wake-Up Call. It's FREE!