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.

[alnick]

Why do you say that I top your list of suspicous trolls? Have you made a mistake?

[alnick]

And why have you pinged (pung?) the above people to my home page, accusing me of being a troll?

[cyncooper]

All is well...http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339629/posts?page=291#291

[dirtboy]

And why have you pinged (pung?) the above people to my home page, accusing me of being a troll?

It was a prank link that redirected you back to your own homepage.

[JesseJane]

pung ---- ROFL !!

[cyncooper]

Gannon himself said his was just a reporter's name.

Where?

[alnick]

Okay, now I'm confused. LOL. I followed the link you posted of the user you said you suspect is a troll, and it led to my home page. The link is: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/my/profile?user=3224501/showfile

But when I change the user number, it still leads to my home page.

[deport]

the above people to my home page, accusing me of being a troll?

---

Al if I go click on the link I get my home page not yours. Anyone else that clicks on the link will get their homepage and not yours.

[alnick]

You are bad. :'P

And I'm embarrassed.

[JesseJane]

It's a prank, happened to me too.

I have some upholstery cleaner if you'd like to borrow some.. :)

[Mo1]

It's an old trick on FR that I fell for .. I was having a weak moment

No matter who hits that link .. it will go to their own profile page

[conservative in nyc]

Well, Congresswoman Slaughter was just on CNN with Anderson Cooper. She sounds like a typical New York Democrat politician - inarticulate and short on facts.

This was part of a 5-minute segment on the Gannon "controversy", which included a report from Kathleen Koch. Cooper was fairly argumentative with her (apologizing for arguing with her because the White House and Talon News refused to go on his show). Slaughter claimed Gannon was "part of the pattern of Armstrong Williams, and three or four others, amid who knows how many, who have been paid to shill for this White House". Slaughter also claimed that according to the Washington Post, Gannon was "the only person known to have access to a CIA secret document about the case of Valerie Plame" and claimed "this shows to me that this is a man who has extraordinary good White House credentials".

Congresswoman Slaughter also said she thinks Gannon was a plant by the White House.

[Indy Pendance]

Sorry about that, how about a straight cranberry? Of course, you want that chaser, no problem. My MIL moved in with us once. I know.

[alnick]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who fell for it. I'm in good company.

You were replying to a post that was a reply to me, so I kinda thought you might have meant to post the other guy's id, but got mine instead.

[conservative in nyc]

Gannon himself said his was just a reporter's name.

Where?

Washington Post, sort of. See Howard Kurtz's column on February 7:

Gannon, who uses a pseudonym -- he declines to reveal his real name -- sees a "double standard" in criticism from such liberal groups as Media Matters.

[Mo1]

Here .. have a glass of wine, it'll make you feel better

Worked for me :0)

[Mo1]

Keith Oberman just picked up this story and is airing ALL the quotes/questions Jeff asked

[cyncooper]

I already saw that much earlier. I don't consider that a demonstration of the allegation but I thank you for trying to help.

[Mo1]

Now he is discussing it with Dana Milbank from the Washington Post

[hellinahandcart]

More interesting is that he and Karl Rove seem to share a mentor -- a largely under-the-radar wingnut named Morton Blackwell. It seems that "Jeff" also is a graduate of the the Leadership Institute Broadcast School of Journalism -- a conservative propagandist training school that was founded and is run by Blackwell and that operates on an $8 million annual budget which comes from God knows where.

Aw geez.

firebrand, wasn't that a Leadership Institute seminar a bunch of us attended last year? Are you aware the we and Karl Rove share a mentor? They're going to try to use us next to take Bush down. LOL