Get out your scandal scorecards

They're going to be coming fast and furious. Here's another "pay for play" journalist busted for getting paid to tout someone's spin while giving the appearance of independence.

Looks like the tactic of buying off journalists is widespread among Republicans, which only stands to reason as they believe in money above all else. Why try to have a fair and honest debate when you can pay off people to rig the game?

The scandal over political groups paying for favorable treatment in the news media grew Friday when the Copley News Service revealed it had suspended syndicated columnist Doug Bandow for allegedly accepting payments from Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff to write positive stories about Abramoff's clients.
...
Additionally, Bandow resigned from the Cato Institute after confirming a report by BusinessWeek Online that said Abramoff paid him for writing between a dozen and 24 articles over nearly a decade. The Washington think-tank's Web site Friday referred to Bandow as a “former senior fellow.”

The media have put forth "scholars" and "fellows" from these massively financed conservative think tanks as unbiased commentators for years. They're nothing but paid shills, even without whoring their writing for cash. The fact that they enjoy large salaries and are completely supported by these foundations in exchange for their giving the impression of scholarly authority for their often crack-pot views doesn't mean they're not turning tricks for their conservative masters.

Putting up a prostitute in a fancy apartment and providing the finest clothes doesn't change the fact that they're prostitutes.