Breaking the law should have consequences.

The U.S. Department of Education broke the law when it paid syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams for positive coverage of the No Child Left Behind legislation.

Armstrong may eventually give the money back, but otherwise there will be no accountability. The law was broken, but it doesn’t matter. What’s the point of having a law if there’s no punishment if it’s broken? No prison time. No fine. Not even a slap on the wrist or a little public humiliation.

The Government Accountability Office last week issued the findings of its investigation. According to the report, the Department of Education violated the ban on covert propaganda by paying Williams to endorse NCLB in his syndicated column and on television without disclosing the financial relationship.

The GAO also reported that the law was broken when the government created and distributed fake news reports touting the education law. The reports, which aired around the country on television, appeared to be legitimate news reports and never identified the role the government played in their creation and distribution.

Education Department officials used taxpayer money to launch a coordinated effort to control public opinion through propaganda. Such actions further undermine the trust that is necessary between the citizenry and the government. They are illegal for a reason.

There’s no penalty for breaking the propaganda law and, before the latest GAO report, the Department of Education was still defending its practices. With the finding, the department is supposed to tattle on itself to Congress and the White House.

Will anyone hold accountable the persons who abused the nation’s trust for partisan gain? We doubt it.