Posted on 02/09/2005 11:10:04 AM PST by 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.
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".
I don't have to time to find a link for you and the thread but let me summarize: Jeff Gannon got an interview with Joe Wilson in the fall of 2003 and asked him about a purported CIA memo that documented that Plame (Wilson's bride) recommended him for the Niger trip, contrary to Wilson's denials. Wilson claimed no knowledge of such a memo and at any rate, continued to deny the assertion.
Gannon posted on FR (to my memory) that his sources were NOT this administration, and the end of the story is that the 9/11 Commission got that unclassified document and it was exactly as had been described to Gannon. I am not sure if the memo was always unclassified or if it was declassified for the committee, but my memory is it was called "unclassified" meaning it was only "secret" because of rogue CIA personnel who were pushing their anti-Bush agenda.
Time to eat...I hope my appetite perks up because this is making me sick, especially after witnessing smarm personified by Olbermann.
Dana Milbank has hated President Bush since he was elected. I would love to see him exposed for the lying, smarmy worm that he is.
If we are lucky, this will be yet another example of the President's enemies overreaching.
The Post knows that the White House doesn't trust Milbank. Probably why he isn't the WH correspondant anymore.
LOL! And isn't that exactly the way that four-eyed twerp strikes you!
Yes, let's screen all of the press with WH "credentials". Can't be too careful, these days.
I hope they play that question over and over and over and over and over. Compared to the *BUSH ARE YOU GOING TO APOLOGIZE* jackalfest we have all become accustomed to, Gannon asked the best question in a long long time. Relevant and pithy.. No need to become pithed off now ith there?
HA! That would really send them over the edge.
:) And BTW, speaking of full disclosure, how about the 180 from Kerry, where's that?
Where is the complaint about the politically leftist NPR and PBS - the government has paid them for years to be liberal mouthpieces.
The thing is, Slaughter won't get a hand slapping and nor will her abetting bloggers.
But the average Joe, watching the news, is able to see clearly how much the left/dems despise the average Joe. That only the elite and liberally-credentialed shall be able to report "facts".
The so-called facts on Jeff Gannon absolutely shriek with flimsy inuendo but not facts.
Meanwhile, Hillary, reknown person of innuendo and death by innuendo is concurrently vaunted is an "honest person"? Can you say: "delete, on her past record" and "pay attention only to her "now" record". Thing is, both Dodd and Franks are on record confirming the Eason Davos comment. And Eason is employed, directly, by WHOM? Which organization? And Eason is a "credentialed" journalist?
So, analysis of President Bush's plan to revamp social security should only be covered by "elite, credentialed journalists". Same ole Dem playbook game plan.. Why... according to their views.. none of us here in freepland should even be discussing any of these issues because we aren't... "credentialed" or "sufficiently.. low-brow".
And we have the right to expect the good fairy to wave her wand and turn a pumpkin into a Caddy.
Well the word "System" makes his educational background kind of vague.
It's difficult to tell if he actually got his degree from one of the many campuses and colleges that are directly affiliated with Penn State, or if he merely attended one of the other Pennsylvania State funded universities, which would include schools like Pitt, Temple, Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, etc. in ADDITION to Penn State.
As a Penn State alumnus myself, I AM curious as to which school/university/campus he actually attended. And am annoyed that he is being so vague in clarifying the information.
This person's claim that the matter could become Bush's Watergate is so funny I've hurt myself laughing.
There is certainly no moral indignation that Howard Dean, their new chairman, paid people to set up web sites, etc. He didn't have volunteers working for him. He had paid workers.
Thanks for the ping!
Wow, it looks so cute and he does look like he is saying 'that'!!
He's made the 'big time' now, out on the internet!
Can you imagine the shrieks of outrage and calls for censure if a Republican pulled this stunt, even targeting a hack and a loon like Helen Thomas? Oh, my Lord, the 'Rats (and the MSM) would go ballistic.
I couldn't resist using him there.
from my archives :
- source : Washington Post
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Marilyn Monroe + Golden Oldies spy music
http://pro.lookingat.us/Goldfinger.html
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