The Washington Post found itself in a dustup today over Politico’s reporting that the paper was selling sponsorships to salons for lobbyists and association executives at the home of Post Publisher Katharine Weymouth. The fliers marketing the salons offered off-the-record sessions with journalists and newsmakers. Sponsorships were $25,000 for a single session and $250,000 for a series.

The company has canceled the plans and media reporter Howard Kurtz quotes Weymouth as saying: “This should never have happened. The fliers got out and weren’t vetted. They didn’t represent at all what we were attempting to do. We’re not going to do any dinners that would impugn the integrity of the newsroom.”

Washington Post Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli told Politico: “You cannot buy access to a Washington Post journalist.” He was named on the flier as one of the “Hosts and Discussion Leaders.”