(Reuters) WASHINGTON - Two U.S. newspapers said Monday they would stop publishing articles by a conservative commentator who was paid by a criminally indicted lobbyist to write pieces favorable to his clients.

Peter Ferrara has admitted taking payments from Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a key figure in a growing probe into payments to members of Congress who has already been indicted for fraud in the purchase of a casino cruise line in Florida.

These guys can’t buy good press coverage… seriously.

Ferrara, a prominent advocate of Social Security reform, told BusinessWeek Online last week that he takes payments from lobbyists "all the time" to write articles favorable to their clients and did not see anything wrong with the practice.

Mr. Ferrara, there is nothing “illegal” about it, but that does not mean there is nothing “wrong” with it. No one likes mercenaries, especially in the battle of news and politics.