WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Rosa. L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today issued the following statement in response to news that the Bush Administration rejected a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study that classified prepackaged news stories as “covert propaganda.” According to The New York Times, the Justice Department and the Office of Management and Budget on Friday circulated a memorandum instructing all executive branch agencies to ignore the GAO findings. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has ruled twice previously that video news releases on the Medicare drug law and anti-drug use campaign were cases of covert propaganda.

Earlier this year, DeLauro introduced the Federal Propaganda Prohibition Act of 2005, legislation that makes the prohibition of covert propaganda a permanent part of the U.S. Code and calls for improved Congressional oversight on public relations contracts.

“The White House’s rejection of this GAO finding flies in the face of our system of checks and balances and presents a dangerous government precedent. Good government means being accountable – the very reason the GAO exists. Yet, despite the fact that GAO consistently finds use covert propaganda by this White House, the Bush Administration refuses to come clean with the American people.

“This Administration is taking advantage of its one party control by using taxpayer dollars to propagandize its proposals through the media. With national polls showing disapproval over the Administration’s Social Security proposal, it is only a matter of time before we see them employ misinformation on this issue. The White House must be held accountable on its use of propaganda and not disregard the investigative arm of Congress. I intend to write to the Office of Management and Budget to express my concern.”