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Correspondence

Committee Leaders Seek Information on Taxpayer-Funded Ad Campaign for Failed Stimulus Program

  
      
Dear Secretary Solis:

The appropriate expenditure of taxpayer funds by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is of the utmost importance to the committee. This week, multiple news sources have reported that in September 2009 DOL spent $495,000 in so-called “stimulus” funding to hire a public relations firm, McNeely, Pigott, and Fox Public Relations, LLC (“MP&F”), to promote Job Corps’ “existing and new training initiatives in high-growth and environmentally friendly career areas.” We understand this contract used taxpayer dollars to purchase advertisements on MSNBC during “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” and “The Rachel Maddow Show.” Despite the fact that these funds were made available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—legislation President Obama said was critical for immediate job creation—an examination of public records show that the contract that resulted in the advertisements on MSNBC created no jobs. Upon further review of public records, we have found that DOL, since 2009, spent almost $2 million on public relations services from MP&F, resulting in the creation of one job in the last reported quarter.

To read the full letter, click here.

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