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.
I won't be here too much tomorrow. I will be at my son's using his computer, which is a bit slow. I will try and check in and see what's going on.
Now I need to go to bed. Good night!
The keep mentioning that DailyKOS web site.
ISN'T THE SITE THAT WAS BUSTED FOR TAKING MONEY FROM THE HOWARD DEAN CAMPAIGN WHILE REFUSING TO ENDORSE OTHER CANDIDATES?
If so, why is E&P not talking about it.
I made the same point on another thread today.
The biggest question at this point to me seems to be his true name vs. a pseudonym.
You missed me but thats ok.;^)
So it seems Mr Gannon may get some attention anyway.Thats sure gonna tick of somebody even more.
I don't get it. Reporters are allowed to plant questions with soldiers talking to the SOD, but if a REPORTER ask a question it's a "plant"?
First of all - where DO all the reporters get their questions, anyway? From editors, from readers and listeners, and from the daily DNC talking points fax, that's who. Those aren't "plants" I suppose.
So, who is more honest here?
I'll be at school until around 2:00 so I guess we'll both have some catching up to do later tomorrow. 'night
It won't go away because Kerry lost the election, the Dems lost seats in both Houses, Rather will retire with egg on his
face, and the Iraq election was a success. It sucks to be them and they have to grab any straw.
I don't know why, but I like the last part. Plus, two predictions. 1. Nobody swings for outing Plame, and 2. Bill Cosby is in some deep do do.
5.56mm
It's only OK if every last person at a WH press event is a flaming liberal. Keith Olberman on PMSNBC was frothing at the mouth over this tonight...he had on the odious Dana Milbank.
Pot, meet kettle.
Not touching this title with a ten foot probe.
"Why should the President address the matter?"
Good point.
The Gannon guy was not on a perm. press pass.
He went in there on day passes.
Anybody who set up a web site and showed that they were a news site.....or set up a newspaper...no matter what the size...could possibly get a day pass.
Mr. President, will you answer the question?
Bush has a special talent for avoiding tough questions and reporters who ask them. Here's what the White House press corps should do to smoke him out.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Dan Froomkin
Olberman lost any credibility when he covered for Dan Rather. He still thinks that the memos are real.
He is a loon.
Bush Atty. Gen. Nominee Gonzalez Fought to Hide Bush Drunk Driving Arrest
November 16, 2004
By: Joe Strupp
Editor and Publisher
Dan Froomkin, the Washington Post columnist...
Froomkin ???? HOW believable is that name ????? I could go my whole life AND never hear such a Goofy Name. Even the SPELL CHECKER QUESTIONED IT !
I am currently reading Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton." According to this book, Thomas Jefferson kept a newspaper writer on the State Department payroll who performed no work at the State Department, but did publish articles that mercilessly lambasted Hamilton.
Big Question-
If DailyKOS was on the Howard Dean Express payroll....
Is it not possible that its web site is working hand in hand with democrats and the main stream media liberal.
Heck, he might even be on the take from Olberman. Coordinating with the whole lot of them.
Maybe it's time to take a good look at that site...and see who they really are.
On another thread about this matter, a freeper who is monitoring the DailyKOS site says they are bragging about signing up here.
Like we hadn't figured that was happening within 10 minutes this morning.
So we're monitoring them and they're monitoring us. Hah!
Gannon, whose real name, according to investigators at DailyKos and other blogs, is James "J.D." Guckert,
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