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WND banned from covering Capitol (Paul Sperry)
WorldNet Daily ^ | 8/7/02 | Joseph Farah

Posted on 08/06/2002 11:32:43 PM PDT by glorygirl

Posted: August 7, 2002 1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com

America's founders, fearing the day would come when Congress would make laws restricting the free press, crafted the First Amendment to the Constitution as a special protection against such abuse.

They understood without a vibrant, independent watchdog, government would become too powerful, exceed its authority and the people would be deliberately kept in the dark about what Washington was doing.

That time has come – despite the founders' clear provisions designed to prevent such abuses.

Last week, in a secret meeting, the Standing Committee of Correspondents, an official institution of Congress funded by tax dollars, banned WorldNetDaily Washington Bureau Chief Paul Sperry from covering the Capitol.

It was the ultimate act of spiteful arrogance that followed 18 months of stalling and excuse-making by the committee, which has searched in vain for any legitimate reason to block WorldNetDaily from the accreditation process that would give the independent newssite unfettered access to the Capitol.

Until last week, the committee had simply refused to grant permanent accreditation to WorldNetDaily, but provided limited access through day passes. Now, even the day passes have been revoked.

According to the committee's chairman, William L. Roberts III, himself a journalist for Bloomberg News Service, there wasn't even a vote by the five-member board. There was no notice of the meeting. No hearing preceded it.

The latest reason for turning away WorldNetDaily from the Capitol? The attorney for the committee says the unprecedented action was meant as punishment for Sperry for allegedly making "factually inaccurate" statements at the appeals hearing last April.

Accusing Sperry of misleading the committee is the latest in a long list of excuses used to deny WND unfettered access to Congress.

First, WND was told the committee had no rules governing Internet-based media. The next objection was WorldNetDaily's association with the nonprofit Western Journalism Center, from which it was spun off three years ago. Then came erroneous charges that WND takes money from businessman Richard Mellon Scaife, whom the Clinton administration alleged directed a vast, right-wing media conspiracy. Then questions arose regarding WorldNetDaily's non-existent connections to Judicial Watch. In the end, the committee settled on an alleged shortage of "original content" on the newssite as a main basis for denying WND accreditation.

Nevertheless, through the entire fishing expedition, Paul Sperry was permitted access to the Capitol through the indignity and inconvenience of day passes. Last week, he was informed that he would no longer be welcome in the Capitol at all.

This is the same Paul Sperry, by the way, who not only was previously accredited to cover the Capitol but who, as the former Washington bureau chief of Investor's Business Daily, actually decided which other reporters from his news organization would be accredited by the committee.

Now, it should be clear to one and all that this committee is discriminating against WorldNetDaily because of its independent, muckraking reputation.

The committee, comprised by William L. Roberts III of Bloomberg Business News, Donna M. Smith of Reuters, Scott Shepard of Cox Newspapers, Jack Torry of the Columbus Dispatch and James Kuhnhenn of Knight Ridder, has managed to insulate itself from criticism and accountability. So it's time to go over their heads and make the Senate Rules Committee accountable for this egregious First Amendment violation.

It's not Sperry who is lying to these self-appointed press police. It's they who are lying to the American people and to themselves about their own inexcusable, un-American actions.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Government
KEYWORDS: farah; mediabias; washingtonreporters; wnd; worldnetdaily
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To: Hed
No, they reported that there was a plan to invade.

That's false. Read the link in Post #50.

Here's one laughable snippet, but there are many more.

Equally troubling, at the beginning of the week, the Iraqi force already in Jordan was sighted moving west, several groups having reached the sand dunes and wadis known as Abu Haffrah, about 80 km (50 miles) inside Jordanian territory.

King Abdullah decided to take command of the Jordanian forces still chasing the Iraqis intruders. That is why he looked so worried and tired – as though he had not slept for nights – in his public appearances in Amman in the past week. He also appeared in combat fatigues.

It's bad enough that WND prints this crap, but it's unbelievable to me that anyone here would defend it, or, in your case, have a case of total denial.

61 posted on 08/07/2002 7:46:24 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Reborn
Welcome Hed!! I agree with your thoughts 100%! I enjoy reading stuff at WND, and I hope that they sue this stupid board.

Let me make absolutely sure I've got this straight. You think WND should sue FreeRepublic?

62 posted on 08/07/2002 7:49:37 AM PDT by dighton
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To: glorygirl
You have to be a puppet on a string to cover the Whitehouse anymore.We have taken Russia's place in the world of Communism and trying hard to take Chinas place in human rights violations.
63 posted on 08/07/2002 7:53:05 AM PDT by gunnedah
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To: dighton
LOL I didn't know that FR has a board, lol. I'm referring to the main article.
64 posted on 08/07/2002 7:55:03 AM PDT by Reborn
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To: gPal
Washington,WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
65 posted on 08/07/2002 7:55:05 AM PDT by gunnedah
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To: dighton
"According to the committee's chairman, William L. Roberts III, himself a journalist for Bloomberg News Service, there wasn't even a vote by the five-member BOARD."
66 posted on 08/07/2002 7:57:19 AM PDT by Reborn
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To: Reborn
Oops! Glad I asked.

You may specify the punishment of your choice: anything but Castle Anthrax or the Comfy Chair.

67 posted on 08/07/2002 7:59:22 AM PDT by dighton
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To: honway; Dog Gone
Incredible. Debka actually reported Iraq invaded Jordan?

No. He is lying.

Dog Gone, you are lying. Something you claim you don't like Debka doing.

The anti-Debka people obviously have agendas. They lie more than Debka.

68 posted on 08/07/2002 8:04:13 AM PDT by tallhappy
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To: glorygirl
Who's next, newsmax.com, Criss Ruddy, then Lary Klayman won't be allowed in the courtroom?
69 posted on 08/07/2002 8:15:23 AM PDT by It'salmosttolate
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To: glorygirl
The only problem I have with this is WND is often guilty of not telling "the rest of the story" or the "story behind the story".

I also know Jack Tory. While a lib, he's fair and takes his position as a journalist very seriously. I doubt that he would deny someone simply on who the reporter worked for.

70 posted on 08/07/2002 8:15:26 AM PDT by joesbucks
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Comment #71 Removed by Moderator

To: tallhappy
Dog Gone, you are lying. Something you claim you don't like Debka doing.

I posted the proof. It's not my problem if you can't read.

72 posted on 08/07/2002 8:27:09 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
No. You distort and lie.

It is a perfectly reasonable scenario.

I have no idea if it is true and neither do you.

73 posted on 08/07/2002 8:31:28 AM PDT by tallhappy
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To: glorygirl
bttt
74 posted on 08/07/2002 8:36:38 AM PDT by Travis McGee
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To: glorygirl
America's founders, fearing the day would come when Congress would make laws restricting the free press, crafted the First Amendment to the Constitution as a special protection against such abuse.

They understood without a vibrant, independent watchdog, government would become too powerful, exceed its authority and the people would be deliberately kept in the dark about what Washington was doing.

And this is why porn is not protected under the first amendment. The first Amendment is to protect political speech, not decadent speech.

Ban porn, not the WND.

75 posted on 08/07/2002 9:00:47 AM PDT by Kobyashi1942
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To: glorygirl
bump
76 posted on 08/07/2002 9:07:18 AM PDT by VOA
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To: glorygirl
It's already happening in NJ. There's a big to-do here about McGreedy's secret doings, and the press ain't invited. Guess we know where the Democrats heart is on this issue. Now if it was porno, there'd be lawyers all over the place demanding free speech rights.
77 posted on 08/07/2002 9:24:19 AM PDT by lds23
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To: goldstategop
In short, they are using the power of government to suppress competition and gain an unfair competitive advantage.
78 posted on 08/07/2002 9:58:48 AM PDT by Zon
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To: tallhappy
Enjoy your fantasies, dude. If my failure to share them with you makes me a liar in your book, I'll bet I can live with it. In fact, I'll be concerned if you ever agree with me on anything.
79 posted on 08/07/2002 10:06:45 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: glorygirl; Fred Mertz; gPal; lawdog; MedicalMess; VaBthang4; VOA; Travis McGee; Zon
Related article...Paul Sperry's (then of IBD) WH story...
Clinton's Face Turned the Color of Raw Hamburger Meat ....
Source: BQ's view...With Radio America's Blanquita Cullum
Published: October 7, 1999; Author: Blanquita Cullum

80 posted on 08/07/2002 10:21:14 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
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