The Bush Administration — given what we’re learning about them, I’m soooo tempted to go back to calling them “the Bush Regime” — has this week been scolded by the investigative arm of Congress for the second time. This time, according to the Blue Bus, for distributing prepackaged phoney “news” reports that include “suggested live intro” for anchors to read and interviews with Washington officials, complete with a closing meant to sound like a real news sign-off. (Remember those? I know. But you younguns have to trust me: there really was such a thing as news once and they really did “sign off” instead of just looping.)

Fact-esque has a story about a letter — and reproduces the letter — said to be written by Senators Frank Lautenberg, Ted Kennedy and Harry Reid to the President.

Among a few minor things mentioned, including the illegality of paying journalists to front for political issues, the letter asks:

In addition to recovering these funds, we would urge you to disclose if any other journalists have been paid by your Administration to skew their media reports in favor of your initiatives, proposals or political messages. For example, have any journalists or media organizations been paid by your Administration to promote your Social Security privatization plan or otherwise promote the idea of a “crisis” in Social Security?

It’s a good question.

Why aren’t we all asking it?