Accountability is sorely missing in Armstrong Williams, columnist, commentator, and radio and TV personality.

Turns out the conservative commentator has been shilling for the Department of Education, accepting $240,000 to support the No Child Left Behind Law in his column and shows.

That’s shameless. It’s also probably illegal and amounts to covert propaganda paid for by the federal government.

Now, Williams’ column has been dropped by Tribune Media Service, which distributed it. At least one TV station won’t broadcast his show. The biggest penalty is the damage done to his credibility.

This isn’t the first time the Bush administration has been busted using propaganda. The Department of Health and Human Services was caught sending out fake news reports to TV stations last year, and just this week the Government Accountability Office criticized the White House distribution of anti-drug ads disguised as news.

Williams’ behavior was unethical. So was the administration’s. Now we know about what Williams has done, it’s time we find out how pervasiveis the administration’s practice of buying positive coverage or faking news.