WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) -- The commission created in the wake of the Walter Reed hospital scandal is hiring a former Hillary Clinton staffer to manage its public relations.
Word of the contract came as U.S. President George W. Bush visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the first time since the shoddy conditions of an out-patient residence was revealed.
Bush apologized Friday for the situation at Walter Reed and vowed during his visit that he would fix the problem.
One of the White House's efforts was the creation of the President's Commission on Care for Americas' Returning Wounded Warriors. It was created March 6 by the White House and headed by former Sen. Robert Dole and former Clinton Administration Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.
The public relations contract is being given to LMW Strategies of Bethesda, Md.
The P.R. company is being awarded a no-bid contract worth $100,000 through August 2007. It is headed by Lorraine McHugh Wytkind, who worked as Clinton's Senate communications director and before that at the Food and Drug Administration during Shalala's tenure at HHS.
The sole source contract was announced in the Federal Business Opportunity March 22, and was first reported by PR Week.
The federal notice is meant to announce the intention to award the contract to LMW Strategies because of its "extensive knowledge of strategic communications, health affairs and the ability to interface with high-level government officials."
