The Armstrong Williams case, wherein the commentator accepted federal funds for promoting the "No child left behind" program certain bears close scrutiny, including examination of other instances of the federal government funding others for similar work.

But the New York Times is losing no time in employing guilt by association, in an effort to smear Justice Clarnece Thomas. Conside the first sentence of its article today:

Armstrong Williams, a prominent conservative commentator who was a protégé of Senator Strom Thurmond and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court, acknowledged yesterday that he was paid $240,000 by the Department of Education to promote its initiatives on his syndicated television program and to other African—Americans in the news media.

Ed Lasky  1 08 05