The ugliest pattern...

An ugly pattern continues to emerge. Yet another columnist has been caught shilling for the Bush administration for cold hard cash.

Maggie Gallagher had a $21,500 contract with the Department of Health and Human Services. It ran from January through October 2002 and included drafting a magazine article for the department official overseeing the initiative, the Post reported.

"Did I violate journalistic ethics by not disclosing it?" Gallagher was quoted as saying Tuesday. "I don't know. You tell me."

I can tell her. It's unethical.

This is the fourth time that we know about the Bushies have corrupted the news cycle with journalistic graft. Class action suit anyone?

UPDATE: In the plus column, Bush Orders an End to Hiring Columnists. I hope he doesn't break his arm patting himself on the back. It's a statement the leader of the free world should never have to make.