Report: Williams Contract a Waste, But Didn’t Break Law

Inspector General Says Education Dept. Exercised Poor Judgment on PR Effort

One investigation into the Department of Education’s public relations arrangement with the commentator Armstrong Williams has found no legal or ethical violations, while a second report taking a broader look at the department’s PR efforts—and the possibility they could be deemed covert propaganda—will likely be released in several weeks.

In a report released April 15, the Education Department inspector general’s office found that agency officials had made poor management decisions and wasted taxpayer money but didn’t violate the law in arranging to pay Mr. Williams to help promote the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

But that conclusion doesn’t let the department off the hook. A separate inspector general’s report is likely to be released soon on whether the department engaged in covert propaganda in promoting the federal law, said Tom Kiley, a spokesman for Rep. George Miller of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Education...