Pundit Payola

Long time libertarian pundit Doug Bandow quit his job at the Cato Institute after it was revealed that he'd written something like two dozen columns over the years at the behest of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who paid him up to $2,000 per op-ed about Abramoff clients like Northern Marianas sweatshop owners and immigration scamsters and American Indian casino tribes. Bandow failed to disclose the payments to his readers or the Cato Institute.

(Personally, I find the Marianas Trench to be a disgrace and Indian gaming a bad joke, but a libertarian might think differently.)

Observers suggested this case is far from unique, that op-ed subsidization is common. I wouldn't know. Nobody has ever offered me money. For some reason, no PR guys want a notorious crimethinker to endorse their clients.

Hey, I know! I'll take money for not writing in favor of lobbyists' clients. You wouldn't want to have your sweatshop's good name tarnished by my public approval. Okay, K Street, I'm waiting. Just E-mail me and I'll tell you where to send the cash in return for my hitting the snooze button.

Seriously, the even bigger problem with this country's media than what pundits will say for money is what they won't say to protect their careers.

My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer