Rep. Slaughter Calls on President Bush to Explain Emerging White House Briefing Room Scandal

http://www.louise.house.gov/HoR/Louise/News/Press+Releases+By+Date/2005+Press+Releases/WH+Briefing+Room+Scandal.htm ^

[hipaatwo]

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28), long time champion of media reform and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Rules, sent a letter to President George W. Bush today asking him to explain how discredited "reporter" Jeff Gannon was credentialed as a member of the legitimate media by the White House.

The letter follows: Wednesday, February 9, 2005 The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: In light of the mounting evidence that your Administration has, on several occasions, paid members of the media to advocate in favor of Administration policies, I feel compelled to ask you to address a matter brought to my attention by the Niagara Falls Reporter (article attached), a local newspaper in my district, regarding James "JD" Guckert (AKA Jeff Gannon) of Talon News. According to several credible reports, "Mr. Gannon" has been repeatedly credentialed as a member of the White House press corps by your office and has been regularly called upon in White House press briefings by your Press Secretary Scott McClellan, despite the fact evidence shows that "Mr. Gannon" is a Republican political operative, uses a false name, has phony or questionable journalistic credentials, is known for plagiarizing much of the "news" he reports, and according to several web reports, may have ties to the promotion of the prostitution of military personnel.

Several weeks ago when it was revealed that radio/TV host Armstrong Williams had received payment from your Administration in exchange for his vocal support of the 'No Child Left Behind' initiative, I was stunned. For years now I have been leading the fight in Congress for fairness and accountability in the media; the Williams revelation only underscored the need for a media that has integrity, is balanced and expresses the local interests and concerns of its consumers. Since that time, two more members of the media have been found to have received money from your Administration in exchange for their vocal, yet undisclosed support of Administration policies. And just this morning we have learned that "Mr. Gannon" has resigned his post at the, so called, Talon News amid growing concerns over his controversial background and falsified qualifications. In fact, it appears that "Mr. Gannon's" presence in the White House press corps was merely as a tool of propaganda for your Administration. Mr. President, I am sure we both agree the White House Press Corps is an honored institution in America that should be beyond the scope of partisan meddling, and that a free and independent media is the cornerstone of our success as a democracy.

Likewise, I am sure we can both agree the American people have the right to expect that journalists who question their President everyday are experienced, independent, and perhaps most importantly, unbiased in their approach. I was already concerned about what appears to be an organized campaign to mask partisan propaganda as legitimate news by your Administration. That we have now learned this same type of deception is occurring inside the White House briefing room itself is even more disturbing.

That is why I am asking you to please explain to the Congress and to the American people how and why the individual known as "Mr. Gannon" was repeatedly cleared by your staff to join the legitimate White House press corps? Mr. President, your Administration has driven the so-called "values" debate in this country. But the most important value for those of us in public service should always be honesty and integrity, particularly when considering the manner in which we conduct our affairs of state.

I would appreciate your prompt response on this matter. Respectfully, /LMS Louise M. Slaughter Ranking Member, House Committee on Rules

From the Niagara Falls Reporter on Monday, February 7, 2005 AN OPEN LETTER TO LOUISE SLAUGHTERDear Rep. Slaughter, As a small newspaper located in your district, we are asking for your help. It has come to our attention that an individual who calls himself "Jeff Gannon" has been credentialed by the White House to attend press briefings and presidential news conferences.

He is affiliated with an organization called Talon News, and is frequently called on by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan and President Bush. This individual has no background in journalism whatsoever, and his "syndicated column" appears solely on his personal Web site, www.jeffgannon.com. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, "Jeff Gannon" isn't even his real name. In his biography at the Talon News site, where he holds the title of "Washington Bureau Chief," he claims to be a graduate of the "Pennsylvania State University System" and the Leadership Institute Broadcast School of Journalism. While the 23 schools in the Penn State system award diplomas, the system itself does not, and the Daily News investigation has thus far failed to turn up a "Jeff Gannon" who holds a degree in education from Penn State, as this person claims he does. Furthermore, the Leadership Institute Broadcast School of Journalism is a right-wing diploma mill where anyone with $50 and two days to waste can receive a degree. As for Talon News itself, it seems to consist solely of a Web site that links directly to a Republican site called www.gopusa.com.

Both Talon and GOPUSA have the same mailing address, a private residence in Texas. It isn't clear whether anyone at Talon News is paid, as one portion of its site asks, "Want to join the Talon News team? Click here to find out more about being a volunteer reporter for Talon News." Looking at the staff biography section of the site, none of the 10 individuals listed appear to have any training or previous experience in journalism, although all list credentials as Republican activists.

We respectfully ask your office to look into how a partisan political organization and an individual with no credentials as a reporter -- and apparently operating under an assumed name -- landed a coveted spot in the White House press corps. Sincerely, Bruce Battaglia, publisher, Mike Hudson, editor in chief, Rebecca Day, senior editor, David Staba, sports editor, Bill Gallagher, national correspondent, John Hanchette, senior correspondent, Frank Thomas Croisdale, contributing editor, Bill Bradberry, contributing editor, Niagara Falls Reporter.

[norton]

"the American people have the right to expect that journalists who question their President everyday are experienced, independent, and perhaps most importantly, unbiased in their approach"

Jeeze lady, somebody has got to be left to do the reporting.

[Mo1]

The Raw Story?

Those are the idiots that were pushing the national guard memos

[mewzilla]

Likewise, I am sure we can both agree the American people have the right to expect that journalists who question their President everyday are experienced, independent, and perhaps most importantly, unbiased in their approach.

Hey, Louise, are you going after Dan Rather and Eason Jordan, too? You know, journos who actually make stuff up...

[Peach]

From that site you posted: One thing to keep in mind. The fact that the registrar is the same does NOT prove that the sites are related. For example, I build Web sites for a living. Gannon comes to me and asks me to build his site - I go out and register JeffGannon.com for him and build his site. I never transfer ownership of his name to him, so I'm still listed as the registrar of the site. I then get another client, this time it's a military escort service, I register their domain for them, and never transfer the owernship to them. Now both URLs, Gannon's and the military escort's, are listed with the same registrar - me. But the two sites are NOT connected. We need more info on this Bedrock Corp.

[dirtboy]

Was just able to get through - so Slaughter's webpage is still up.

[F.J. Mitchell]

The Dims have earned a lot of assinity capital and they are spending it like a drunk lottery winner.

[Mo1]

Oh and let me also throw this out for thought

I wonder if Eric Adelman has any role in this also?

[Quilla]

You could tell from a short visit (after washing your hands) that they were leftist freaks. The fact that they were pushing the fake guard memos certainly doesn't help their credibility with this story.

[hipaatwo]

I can't get through to her site, thru firefox or ie

[JesseJane]

Thanks for posting that.. Went back for a read, and this is most intriguing. And he lied about the story at that. Yes, let's *do* add him to our list of those who need to be investigated.

[dirtboy]

I can't get through to her site, thru firefox or ie

It took me about an hour. Might be traffic (hehehe)...

[Peach]

This page has the people at Niagra News who requested that the Congresswoman investigate Gannon.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=48

[alnick]

Maybe I'm outta the loop on this but, other than Armstrong Williams, can someone tell who this administration paid to advocate in favor of it's policies?

No one, including Williams. Williams' company was paid only for specific one-minute ads, NOT to talk up any policy. This is according to both the DOE and Williams. They merely bought ad time for PSA spots. There was one other woman, a marriage expert, who was paid to do research on marriage. The other one was something equally benign.

[Jrabbit]

Is his name Jeff Gannon or not? Has anyone contacted him about all of these disgusting allegations?

[Peach]

The names of those involved in the Niagra newspaper who requested that the congresswoman investigate Gannon are:

Bruce Battaglia
Mike Hudson
Rebecca Day
David Staba
Bill Gallgher
John Hanchette
Frank Thomas
Bill Bradberry

[JesseJane]

This is going to be a bit long:

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Yes: Christmas in Cambodia. Michale Kranish, Boston Globe.

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061603.shtml

Story was refuted, and then we learn:

BOSTON GLOBE 'REPORTER' PAID TO WRITE OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN BOOK FOREWORD -- WHILE COVERING KERRY

http://www.drudgereport.com/dnc89.htm

BOSTON GLOBE reporter Mike Kranish made waves on Friday by reporting a key figure in the anti-Kerry ad campaign, Kerry's former commanding officer, "backed off one of the key contentions."

But Captain George Elliott claims the Kranish article is "extremely inaccurate" and highly misstated his actual views.

Oddly, journalist Kranish has been commissioned to write the foreword of the official Kerry-Edwards campaign book -- just as he is covering the campaign in an official capacity as a journalist for the BOSTON GLOBE!

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And just for fun:

ANTI-KERRY VETS HANG TOUGH

Fri Aug 06 2004 13:37:12 ET

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash5.htm

The following statement from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth concerns an article appearing in morning edition of the BOSTON GLOBE, written by GLOBE reporter and author of the coming Kerry-Edwards campaign book, Mike Kranish.

"Captain George Elliott describes an article appearing in today’s edition of the Boston Globe by Mike Kranish as extremely inaccurate and highly misstating his actual views. He reaffirms his statement in the current advertisement paid for by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Captain Elliott reaffirms his affidavit in support of that advertisement, and he reaffirms his request that he ad be played.

“Additional documentation will follow.

"The article by Mr. Kranish is particularly surprising given page 102 of Mr. Kranish’s own book quoting John Kerry as acknowledging that he killed a single, wounded, fleeing Viet Cong soldier whom he was afraid would turn around. "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has more than 250 supporters who are revealing first hand, eyewitness accounts of numerous incidents concerning John Kerry’s military service record. The organization will continue to discuss much of what John Kerry has reported as fact concerning his four-month tour of duty in Vietnam."

END

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As we all know, Kerry NEVER address the Swiftees allegations.

[mewzilla]

A column by Mike Hudson: BUSH, WILLIE NELSON SHARE MUCH IN PHILOSOPHY, TEXAS, PAST DRUNKENNESS .

[Peach]

I'm just going through their names now to see what it turns up.

[auboy]

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28), long time champion of media reform

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28), long time champion of media reform status quo, said in her letter that we have free speech - you do not.

[hipaatwo]

I just got off of the phone with the Daily News. They researched the archives and found nothing and asked me to forward them the article with the quote. I just did, now let's see how Niagra Falls caca paper digs its way out of this.