Education Secretary Rod Paige broke his silence about the Armstrong Williams flap yesterday, insisting that the Department of Education’s payments to Williams were geared “exclusively toward the production and airtime of advertisements in which I described the law and encouraged viewers and listeners” to seek more details.

Exclusively?

The contract signed by Williams wasn’t just about advertising. It guaranteed Paige and other Dept. of Education officials the right to appear on Williams’ show. It pushed Williams to produce segments about No Child Left Behind, to discuss the legislation on other television shows, and to encourage other commentators to do the same.

Williams himself continues to mischaracterize the contract, telling the Associated Press: “I was not engaged in any public relations in this campaign. It was strictly advertising.”

Williams also told AP that “I’m not concerned about this witchhunt because I know that I’ve done nothing wrong, nothing illegal.” If he did nothing wrong, why did he apologize earlier this week?

Meanwhile, two Senators are demanding that the Department of Education investigate the matter. A member of the Federal Communications Commission wants his agency to launch a probe as well. The Commissioner, Jonathan Adelstein, said Williams’ contract could constitute violation of “federal telecommunication law that requires disclosure of any payment or gift for airing any material for broadcast, like a radio disc jockey being paid to play a particular recording,” AP reports.

Update: The Wall Street Journal reports that two bloggers received money from the Howard Dean presidential campaign. A spokeswoman for the Dean Campaign told the Journal that both bloggers disclosed their connection to the Dean operation. (Click here for Daily Kos’ disclosure.) By strong contrast, Armstrong Williams disclosed nothing.

Update II: And why is Williams still a member of The President’s Commission on White House Fellowships? (Hat tip: Football Fans for Truth.)

Update III: In his comments about the Armstrong Williams pay-for-punditry flap, President Bush tells USA Today that Williams has “made it very clear that he made a mistake.” No, actually, he didn’t make anything clear at all. (Hat tip: Captain Ed.)

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