The Labor Department paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in
federal stimulus funds to a public relations firm to run more than 100
commercials touting the Obama administration’s “green training” job
efforts on two MSNBC cable shows, records show.
The commercials
ran on MSNBC on shows hosted by Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann in
2009, but the contract didn’t report any jobs created, according to
records reviewed recently by The Washington Times.
Spending
reports under the federal Recovery Act show $495,000 paid to McNeely
Pigott & Fox Public Relations LLC, which the Labor Department hired
to raise awareness “among employers and influencers about the [Job
Corps] program’s existing and new training initiatives in high growth
and environmentally friendly career areas” as well as spreading the word
to prospective Job Corps enrollees.
The firm ultimately
negotiated ad buys for “two approved spots” airing 14 times per week for
two months on “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” and “The Rachel Maddow
Show,” according to a project report, which listed the number zero under
a section of the report asking how many jobs had been created through
the stimulus contract.
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