Outreach Decision

According to a decision issued yesterday, the Government Accountability Office found no evidence that a Rumsfeld-era Defense Department public outreach program involving retired military officers violated anti-propaganda statutes.

The scope of the review rested on three questions, according to a letter from acting GAO General Counsel Daniel Gordon to Congressional leaders: Did the program aim to hide the source of information presented, was it "purely partisan in nature," or did it constitute "self-aggrandizement?"

According to Gordon's letter, the answer is no.

But the missive is careful to note the limited scope of the review. Not examined, for example, were the business ties of analysts involved in the program.

Despite the program's legality from an anti-propaganda standpoint, Gordon's letter includes a piece of advice for the Pentagon's public affairs apparatus:

"While DOD understandably values its ties with retired military officers, we believe that, before undertaking anything along the lines of the now-terminated program at issue in this decision, DOD should consider whether it needs to have additional policies and procedures in place to protect the integrity of, and public confidence in, its public affairs efforts and to ensure the transparency of its public relations activities."

Meanwhile, the DOD inspector general also will weigh in on the issue in an upcoming report.