A FISCAL FRACAS WITH THE WHITE HOUSE

Public Relations:

Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) said he might insert a
provision in a major appropriations bill to disqualify the Ogilvy &
Mather advertising firm from continuing a lucrative contract with the
Office of National Drug Control Policy at the White House.

The General Accounting Office concluded last year that Ogilvy
overbilled the ONDCP for a government-funded media campaign to
persuade teenagers not to use drugs.

"In my home town, you have a simple approach when someone cheats: You
don't do business with them," said Dorgan, who chairs the Senate
counterpart of Istook's appropriations subcommittee.

Ogilvy has said the overbilling resulted from deficient accounting
practices, not deliberate cheating.