Stimulus Money Paid for Green Job Ads on Maddow, Olbermann

Nearly half a million dollars of stimulus money went to fund advertisements for green training jobs on liberal cable station MSNBC — but they failed to create a single position.

The Labor Department paid $495,000 for the advertisements on two of the station’s most partisan shows, officials felt, hoping they would reach potential employers, the Washington Times reports.

But the 2009 ads, placed by public relations firm McNeely, Pigott & Fox on shows hosted by Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann had absolutely no benefit, the paper reports.

“The firm ultimately negotiated ad buys for “two approved spots” airing 14 times per week for two months on “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” and “The Rachel Maddow Show,” according to a project report, which listed the number zero under a section of the report asking how many jobs had been created through the stimulus contract.

David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance called the decision to place two spots 14 times a week for two months on the show “questionable,” because of the political nature of the two shows.

“Hiring a PR firm does not create jobs, and this was obviously meant for selling a particular political agenda,” he said. “The placement really reeks of a political ad rather than a job ad, and taxpayers see through this.”