Not Technically Propaganda

I've been waiting for months for an opening to write about the notorious Jeff Gannon/James Guckert, that "reporter" whose fluffball questions at White House press briefings betrayed the fact that he wasn't exactly what you call a real journalist. After all these months, the moment has finally arrived. GAO has ruled that Gannon/Guckert's "verbatim reprinting of White House press releases as his own work" does not violate a federal prohibition on the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes. Unseemly, icky, and lazy, yes. Illegal, no. (Thanks for the tip, A.L.)