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.

[Mo1]

Mo, I think that anyone who clicks that will get their own profile page. I clicked it and got mine. Scared me for a moment. :-)

I think this is the time I need to step away from the computer

I've seemed to have lost my sense of humor :0)

[JesseJane]

Thanks for the link.

[Peach]

LOL.

Okay - now I understand.

[Mo1]

Mo1 - why did my homepage come up on that link?

Seems to be a joke ... that I fell for

Is it happy hour yet??

[mewzilla]

From this link: STANDING COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENTS

Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Chairman, The Baltimore Sun

Chuck McCutchen, Secretary, Newhouse News Service

Bart Jansen, Portland Press-Herald/Maine Sunday Telegraph

Susan Milligan, Boston Globe

Bill Walsh, The Times-Picayune

Interesting list, ain't it?

[Mo1]

Sheese... now I have to reupholster my chair.

I need a drink .. LOL

[Dane]

Uh so?

I guess that means only people with journalism degrees from the "correct schools"(Thurston Howell accent) are allowed to ask questions to the President's press secretary.

Isn't martini time for you and lovey.

[lysie]

It's 5 o'clock somewhere...

[lowbridge]

bump

[Mo1]

Did I post to you?

[Ranxerox]

...regarding James "JD" Guckert (AKA Jeff Gannon)...

This appears to be identical syntax to that used in a troll's post on an earlier thread. Hmmm.

Yep, straight off a thread from the DUmpster, almost word for word. The link can be found in a reply on the (Baltimore) Mayor O'Malley thread from this morning involving Freeper NCPAC.

[Mo1]

You are naughty!

I have a history :0)

[JesseJane]

:)~ Cheers!

[All4mykids]

I am very new and still trying to figure out how this works. I clicked on the link you had for a troll. It brought up my screen name. Sorry for the misunderstanding. It just freaked me out.

[lysie]

Don't feel bad....I've been here awhile and it freaked me out, too.

Welcome.

[drt1]

"yeah, the democrats are the friends of the black man, ain't they?"

I was very gratified to see the proper recognition of the historical Republican record on Equality and Civil Rights in America. In fact, Richard Nixon, with all of his warts, also had a very progressive domestic policy record (And I was not a fan).

I happen to live near Detroit and the mind numbed robots who are prisoners there are unable or unwilling to see and act on the corruption and cynical politics that have worked against their own interests for many, many years.

I hope you are able to communicate with others about the reality of this situation so that they may take an active part in determining their destiny and not put it into the hands of charlatans like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc.

All the best.

[Alia]

I'd like to ask Ms Slaughter how she "feels" about prosecuting those in the Dem Aisles who were perpetrating nationwide panic in re Republicans "bringing back the draft". That 'lil' tidbid set off major anxiety. It abused teenagers. It was crying FIRE in the sphere of national politics, as tho it was "policy" and under the guise of CREDENTIALED POLITICIANS. Democrats set up a "rumor" as "truth" and then fearmongered nationwide... in the name of "politics".

I would ask Ms. Slaughter one more question:

Ahem.

Ms. Slaughter have you really, really checked out the so-called "allegations"? Are you parrotting Firesign Theatre, Bozos: "All future IDs will be ones that aren't you".

And lastly:

Ms Slaughter where does your charge against Jeff Gannon fit into the overall debate about NATIONAL IDs currently going on?

[MOgirl]

Hello,

FWIW, I noticed that shot_gun_r signed up on 10/20/04, and ReadtheFinePrint signed up on 10/25/04. Within 5 days of each other. Might mean nothing, but I thought it was interesting as we are definitely under attack from the wackos today.

Glad to be here, MOgirl

[RippleFire]

bump

[All4mykids]

Thanks.