Posted on 02/10/2005 1:36:52 PM PST by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON, DC -- In light of yet another scandal involving the Bush administration's manipulation of the media, United States Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today requested from White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan all the documents relating to the press credentials of James. D. Guckert, a.k.a. "Jeff Gannon"; the "journalist" now famous for being the White House correspondent for his softball questioning of President Bush and various Administration spokespeople.
"I am writing to request that you immediately release documents to my office relating to the White House press credentials of James D. Guckert, a.k.a. "Jeff Gannon." Specifically, I am seeking documentation related to the question of which name Mr. Guckert/Gannon used when applying for credentials, and which name was on the official White House press credentials he received," wrote Lautenberg.
"As you may know, Mr. Guckert/Gannon was denied a Congressional press pass because he could not show that he wrote for a valid news organization. Given the fact that he was denied Congressional credentials, I seek your explanation of how Mr. Guckert/Gannon passed muster for White House press credentials," Lautenberg wrote.
Senator Lautenberg has been the Senate leader in exposing the Bush administration's propaganda efforts.
February 10, 2005
Scott McClellan Press Secretary The White House Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. McClellan,
I am writing to request that you immediately release documents to my office relating to the White House press credentials of James D. Guckert, a.k.a. "Jeff Gannon." Specifically, I am seeking documentation related to the question of which name Mr. Guckert/Gannon used when applying for credentials, and which name was on the official White House press credentials he received. Additionally, I am seeking documents indicating whether Mr. Guckert/Gannon received a "hard pass" or daily passes from your office. Despite your assertions to the contrary, at least one White House reporter has revealed that Mr. Guckert/Gannon appeared to have "hard pass" credentials.
As you may know, Mr. Guckert/Gannon was denied a Congressional press pass because he could not show that he wrote for a valid news organization. Given the fact that he was denied Congressional credentials, I seek your explanation of how Mr. Guckert/Gannon passed muster for White House press credentials.
I have led the effort in the Senate to investigate a number of instances of troubling propaganda efforts by the Administration. The Government Accountability Office has agreed to my requests to investigate various attempts at media manipulation: fake television news stories touting both the new Medicare law and the "No Child Left Behind" education program; a study rating individual journalists on their "favorability" to Republican education policies; and the payment to journalist Armstrong Williams.
Since the Armstrong Williams controversy became public, Administration payments to two other journalists, Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus, have come to light. Given the backdrop of these scandals, coupled with Mr. Guckert/Gannon's role in recent White House press briefings and press conferences, it is understandable that the circumstances of Mr. Guckert/Gannon's credentialing have raised suspicion.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely, Frank R. Lautenberg
You know, who are they to try to ruin this guy just because he asked a question. All I'd like to see is Helen Thomas put to the back of the room, never to be heard from again. I wouldn't want to ruin her life.
Shove it Lautenberg...It's none of your business.
Maybe Lautenberg should be interested in the "propoganda" of CBS and their lies and fraud committed against President Bush with their deliberately falsified document deal....isn't ACTUAL FRAUD AND FALSIFICATION of significance? Not if you are a liberal and you are doing the crime!!!
YW !!
I just followed the link to his page and in the little flashing pictures one of them shows that he defended Kerry's service in Vietnam. No wonder he doesn't like Conservatives in the press pool. Looks like he's another one who doesn't want the truth to get out!
will you start a live, discussion thread?
According to Gary Aldrich ... nope .. they didn't
I just want to know...why does it matter? To DU, I mean.
Not to sound stupid, but, what channel does Wolf Blitzer report on? I rarely watch tv, and then only Fox news.
So the Senate should be in the buisness of deciding what a valid news organization is?
Is the press a de facto branch of government that should be regulated by congress? I'm not sure my reading of the first amendment supports this view.
Why don't we ask for ALL paperwork on WH reporters. Lautenburg is opening a can of worms
"Yet another scandal", blah blah blah. We'll have to listen to this crap for years. But while they blather, we'll fix things up. It sucks to be an impotent, irrelevant Democrat, don't it Senator?
Okay, fine. How can we stop this? Can we?
Frank "Torricelli Switch" Lautenberg
220 242
ROFLMAO!!
Alia, we need to haul out that music... :)
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