Congresswoman Asks for Probe After 'Gannon' Quits WH Reporting Post

Editor and Publisher ^ | 2/9/05

[KidGlock]

Congresswoman Asks for Probe After 'Gannon' Quits WH Reporting Post

By Joe Strupp

Published: February 09, 2005 updated 2:00 PM ET

NEW YORK Jeff Gannon, the controversial reporter for conservative Web site Talon News who drew complaints for gaining access to White House press events, resigned from his job last night amid liberal blogs' allegations about his real name and his personal and professional life.

Today, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to "address the matter" in light of "mounting evidence that your Administration has, on several occasions, paid members of the media to advocate in favor of Administration policies."

Last night, in a message on his Web site (www.jeffgannon.com), Gannon announced: "Because of the attention being paid to me I find it is no longer possible to effectively be a reporter for Talon News. In consideration of the welfare of me and my family I have decided to return to private life. Thank you to all those who supported me."

In an e-mail to E&P last Friday, not published until now, Gannon wrote: "Much has been made about whether I use a professional name or not, but I am reluctant to provide information one way or another because of the threats that have been made against my person, property and family in both internet postings ... as well as in e-mails that I have forwarded to law enforcement. I'm sure you understand."

E&P has not been able to reach Gannon again today.

Gannon, whose real name, according to investigators at DailyKos and other blogs, is James "J.D." Guckert, first gained attention several weeks ago when he asked a question at a presidential press conference that some in the press corps considered so friendly it might have been planted. Later it was revealed by E&P that Gannon had been turned down last year for a congressional press pass because he could not prove his employer was a valid news organization. That denial barred him from receiving a White House "hard pass," allowing regular access to White House press events.

But Gannon had been obtaining daily White House press passes, a situation that had irked some veteran White House reporters who also questioned his credentials or considered him to be too partisan in his questioning.

Gannon's refusal to deny he used a fake name sparked investigations by a number of blogs, including Daily Kos, Eschaton, and World O' Crap, that probed his true identity. In addition, those sites posted allegations yesterday that Web sites such as hotmilitarystud.com, militaryescorts.com, and militaryescortsm4m.com, were registered to the same owner as Gannon's personal Web site, according to the blog MediaCitizen.

In her letter to President Bush, Rep. Slaughter charged that "it appears that 'Mr. Gannon's' presence in the White House press corps was merely as a tool of propaganda for your Administration."

Dan Froomkin, the Washington Post columnist, said today in an online chat, "I had less of a beef with Gannon than I did with the folks who actually on him (at press conferences)." He said "the heat should be on" Bush spokesman Scott McClellan: "Why did he call on Gannon? Did they ever pre-arrange anything? Did they have contact with his parent organization?"

Another intriguing issue is his involvement, along with better known Robert Novak, Judith Miller and others, in the Valerie Plame/CIA episode. His name turned up on a list of reporters targeted for questioning by the federal prosecutor in the case. Froomkin of the The Washington Post wrote last spring that "the reason Gannon is on the list is most likely an attempt to find out who gave him a secret memo that he mentioned in an interview he had with Plame's husband, former ambassador and administration critic Joseph Wilson."

The Talon News site today scrubbed its archives of many "Gannon" articles and removed his biography.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joe Strupp (jstrupp@editorandpublisher.com) is a senior editor at E&P.

[Miss Marple]

Pingeroonie! I am sure I missed some folks, so ping anyone you think might be interested.

[LasVegasMac]

Today, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to "address the matter" in light of "mounting evidence that your Administration has, on several occasions, paid members of the media to advocate in favor of Administration policies."

"Hey, Weesie, I'll worry about this after the 'Rat party explains MoveOn.Org, George Soros, Michael "FatHead" Moore, etc. The best to ya, GWB."

LVM

[queenkathy]

They considered him too partisan to question? How's that?

[NormsRevenge]

Rep. Slaughter charged that "it appears that 'Mr. Gannon's' presence in the White House press corps was merely as a tool of propaganda for your Administration."

---

And pray tell, who are the MSM tooling their propaganda for?

Any pretense that they are anything more than mouthpieces for an America hating cabal has long since disappeared.

How convenient they now try and sink their talon(s) in someone at least as 'honorable' as they.

[Cold Heat]

Hullabaloo time again!

[Alia]

Oh my... let's all play "telephone" among devoted MSM groupies. This is another "it goes to the top" Dem ploy. Well, Jeff Gannon is paying a price in order that Dems get excited. Bite-back is sure gonna hurt them, tho.

[cyncooper]

some in the press corps considered so friendly it might have been planted.

Yes, none of us would ever have the thoughts we have unless they were "planted".

[madprof98]

Well, compared to this, Dan Rather's effort to use phony documents to throw a Presidential election is just child's play.

[petitfour]

A Plame/Wilson connection????????

[infidel29]

"...Bush... Administration has... paid members of the media to advocate in favor of Administration policies."

What about the fact that Hitlery and others (Joe Biden?) actually subsidize "Air America" and other leftist radio ventures?

[Txsleuth]

You mean we have to have a congressional investigation because ONE reporter actually questioned Bush without insinuating he is a liar, doesn't as Bush to name any and all mistakes he has made over his WHOLE life, and doens't even ask whether Bush ever reported for duty in Alabama.

Because Jeff Gannon wasn't obviously out to play GOTCHA journalism, they are SURE that Bush himself planted this guy and paid him to ask "friendly" questions----

Okay--if I were Bush, this is what I would do---next time Scott McClellen is supposed to go to Press Room for the daily press briefing, I (Bush) would go in instead with the letter this witch congresswoman wrote, hold it up while slamming my other had down on the podium and I would say---

I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF THIS CRAP FROM YOU THE MEDIA, AND FROM THE DEMOCRATS----HOW MUCH OF YOU LOSE, I WIN, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!

[GeronL]

Why should the President address the matter?

[cyncooper]

Another intriguing issue is his involvement, along with better known Robert Novak, Judith Miller and others, in the Valerie Plame/CIA episode. His name turned up on a list of reporters targeted for questioning by the federal prosecutor in the case. Froomkin of the The Washington Post wrote last spring that "the reason Gannon is on the list is most likely an attempt to find out who gave him a secret memo that he mentioned in an interview he had with Plame's husband, former ambassador and administration critic Joseph Wilson."

I am becoming convinced as the day rolls on this has to do with the Plame investigation closing in and they are lashing out per the usual playbook.

I'll find some links to an article or two about this "secret memo" that will give proper background so people know what these dems are up to now.

[ArmyBratproud]

I have not heard about fake names....seems like the liberal main stream media gimps don't want anyone, no matter what their name is, that is gonna report the truth of an issue.
Washington Post...Pravda

This was on talonnews.com

Statement concerning former Washington, DC correspondent Jeff Gannon

Talon News Washington, DC reporter and White House Correspondent Jeff Gannon submitted his resignation from our organization effective February 8, 2005.

I understand and support Jeff's decision, and have accepted the resignation.

http://www.talonnews.com/statement.shtml

We are currently evaluating candidates to fill this critical assignment, and anticipate minimal interruption of Talon's coverage of our nation's capitol and the White House in the meantime.

-- Robert R. Eberle, Ph.D.
Editor in Chief, Talon News

[Peach]

This story isn't going to go away for a while, it seems.

[KidGlock]

It would only be fair for Bush to address the matter since Bubba spent so much time addressing why Helen Thomas was so biased.

Right?

[KidGlock]

Gannon, whose real name, according to investigators at DailyKos and other blogs, is James "J.D." Guckert...Gannon's refusal to deny he used a fake name sparked investigations

What's that about?

I don't see how that could be true?

Would the White House let people in the same room as the president without some kind of background or ID check?

[ArmyBratproud]

"including Daily Kos, Eschaton, and World O' Crap, that probed his true identity. In addition, those sites posted allegations yesterday that Web sites such as hotmilitarystud.com, militaryescorts.com, and militaryescortsm4m.com, were registered to the same owner as Gannon's personal Web site, according to the blog MediaCitizen."

These are the guys they quote!
Are you kidding me!

I would bet money that the owner of websites is the company that has the domains of all sorts of sites.
It is odd that E&P is citing chatboard allegations of that sort.

[small voice in the wilderness]

so this is how far the dems. have gone. To resort to picking fights and calling for investigations into reporters who seem friendly to the Bush Administration. It's worse than I realized for them. If this is all they've got for the next 4 years they may as well look to 2020 for their comeback. It will take them that long to dig themselves out of the hole they're digging. This is pitiful. Just pitiful.