Posted on 02/09/2005 6:14:00 PM PST by 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.
Funny how the left and some on the right are just drooling over this. They both think this is their chance to "get Bush" and for a few kooks, even impeach him. The lefties think this is their chance to destroy Bush with this base. Those on the right who are eating this story up think this is their chance to convince the "true conservatives" to leave the Republican Party and join them because the "evil NeoCons" are nothing but liars, crooks, and more devious than Clinton ever was.
So it looks like Editor and Publisher is a liberal rag.
They probably have strategy meetings with Howard Dean.
December 31, 2003
The Washington Post reported Friday that according to their sources, the Central Intelligence Agency believes people in the Bush administration are continuing to release classified information to damage figures at the center of the Niger "yellowcake" controversy.
According to the Washington Post story, the CIA has alleged that one or more senior administration officials revealed the name of a covert operative to columnist Robert Novak. The complaint has led to an FBI investigation of the White House to determine circumstances surrounding the release of the identity of Valerie Plame to the media.
Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, claims someone at the White House sought to destroy his wife's career because of the report he filed after his mission to Africa in 2002. Wilson disputed the administration's statements about Saddam Hussein's efforts to buy uranium from Niger to advance his WMD programs.
The Washington Post cites an unnamed source who says, "The CIA is angry about the circulation of a still-classified document to conservative news outlets." They point to a memo referenced in a Talon News interview of Wilson that suggests his wife was instrumental in his selection for the fact-finding trip to Africa.
Talon News was the only service identified by the Washington Post as having knowledge of the memo's existence. The newspaper goes on to say that CIA officials have challenged the accuracy of the document purportedly written by a State Department official who works for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
Jeff Gannon, the White House correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief for Talon News declined to reveal whether he had seen the memo or had its contents described to him.
While he would not disclose his source, Gannon said, "I will tell you that the information did not come from inside the administration."
"For something that is supposed to be classified, it seems that this document is easily accessible," Gannon added. "Washington is leaking like a cheap umbrella. Just look at what's happening over on Capitol Hill."
Gannon was referring to private Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committee memos that have been leaked to various media outlets in the last few months.
Gannon's exclusive interview with Wilson focused on the many unanswered questions about the "outing" of his wife.
Gannon points out that other possibilities exist which might explain how Plame's name was revealed without the malice that Wilson believes was retribution for his decision to go public with criticism of the White House.
"When Bob Novak asked why a known partisan like Wilson would be sent on a critical mission to help the administration build its case to go to war with Iraq, the answer might have been that his wife got him the job, not realizing her identity was classified," Gannon said. "It's not as if nepotism is unheard of in Washington."
The Talon News reporter added, "Some people out there see a clandestine war going on between the White House and the CIA. It is generally perceived that a substantial amount of blame for intelligence failures that otherwise might have prevented the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 has been laid at the agency's doorstep by the administration. They suggest the agency is fighting back with an allegation of a wrongdoing in the Plame matter."
In related matters, Attorney General John Ashcroft recused himself from the leak investigation on Tuesday and called on Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the U.S. Attorney in Chicago, to serve as a special prosecutor.
Fitzgerald led the investigation of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, who was charged with 22 counts of corruption.
In a Tuesday press conference, Deputy Attorney General James Comey said that Ashcroft's decision was not based on a conflict of interest but rather the desire to eliminate any appearance of conflict or favoritism.
"The attorney general in an abundance of caution believed that his recusal was appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances and the facts and evidence developed at this stage of the investigation," Comey said. "I agree with that judgment."
~snip~
I'll see if I can find Jeff Gannon's piece about his exclusive with Wilson.
A freeper sent me private mail today that she's been monitoring that site for a year. She said it's obvious they've become much more organized in the last 2-3 months. The Howard Dean for DNC Chairman effect?
Oh, on MSNBC it was reported that some hack thinks this will be Bush's Watergate. LOL
How could he use a fake name and get access to the White House.
The fake name part of the story does not ring true to me.
Well, I am still waiting for the Rats to condemn what Jefferson did.
Is that what all this stuff is?
No way. Those lib gimps think that this is something they could go after the President with....
There is no way something like this has anything to do with the President.
They really have gone off the liberal deep end.
It's like the prescription health costs issue today.
Whether you are for it or against the plan....
Does not change the fact how idiotic democraps look right now.
THEY WERE THE ONES PUSHING FOR A BIGGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE PLAN THAN WHAT THE PRESIDENT PUT UP?
BTW, The President only proposed legislation....it is eventually written by Congress......just in case any liberals needed to know.
What a joke! They call themselves "probing" Gannon. ROFLOL!
We got Dan Rather, they got "Jeff Gannon".
How could he use a fake name and get access to the White House.
Kinda like the cold war.
We are America...
And they are the evil Commmunists
The White House had to know he was using a fake name. Even 30 years ago they would perform an advance ID check before you could get press credentials to a presidential event. I would imagine that security is quite a bit tighter in the post 9/11 world.
The White House has gotten caught participating in this, and they need to make a statement and lay it to rest.
I caught a bit of Olberman and Dana Milbank.. lol. What a crock of it they were sharing.
Odious is being too kind. Dana was almost peeing his pants or so itseemed, so happy was he that the spotlight was diverted from the Washington Compost's dual retraction re: inaccuracies in the reporting of the cost of prescription drugs benefits over a 10 year period.
The MSM is so far gone into the Looking Glass, they don't realize they left the realm of viability a long time ago.
Why are Freepers defending this Gay pornographer?
Why are Freepers defending this Gay pornographer?
Investigators for the DailyKos?
OK...it's obvious...they are still on Howard Dean's payroll.
Its funny how dems who are upset with the election lost would go to the DailyKos after it was shown that site was on the Howard Dean pay roll....
And that's why they would not endorse the dem candidate.
Sure seems like they are just a part of the Howard Dean campaign.
How do you know he is a gay pornographer?
Let's see. We've got the Eason Jordan slander scandal, Linda Fasulo the U.N. correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC who has been exposed in a huge conflict of interest to have been on the UN lobby payroll, and that idiot Ward Churchill (although he isn't media) spewing his anarchist venom.
Now we have a congresscritter feigning outrage. Could it be that the RATS and their media shills are trying to shift attention from those stories? or is it really funneling back to Wilson/Plame? Wouldn't that be something..
I heard about WaPo having to retract articles.
Maybe they work for Howard Dean now, too......like the folks at DailyKos.
HEY EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.......are you gonna write about how DailyKos was on the take....thus not supporting Kerry.
They helped cost you golden boy an election....
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