This diary is a site for investigation of the
Leadership Institute's Broadcast Journalism School, the institution which trained fake newsman "Jeff Gannon." It should be read and used in conjunction with the
series of diaries posted by the intrepid SusanG.
Follow me over the jump to the details as we know them. Add liberally.
The Organization
The Leadership Institute Broadcast Journalism School is a program of the nonprofit Leadership Institute.
The Leadership Institute is a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Thus, donations to it are typically tax-deductible. As a nonprofit with significant revenues, it is tracked by the industry information clearinghouse guidestar.org. Guidestar collects and disseminates IRS for 990s, which are the tax forms that nonprofit organizations must file annually with the IRS once the nonprofit reaches $25,000 in donations per year.
Guidestar will not let me link to the 990s, but acessing them is easy. Head over to guidestar , create a free account, and then do an advanced search for the Leadership Institute in Arlington, VA. This is the group in question.
addition: KagroX offered this link, which details the foundation-based funding of the Leadership Institute. Coors, Amway and Scaife money back this Institute. That said, they took in $7.6 million in donations last year, and these foundations only account for about $200k of that. There's a lot more money to be found, if we can find it.
addition: thebes adds that the Center for Print and Broadcast Media is colocated with the Leadership Institute. Also, the CPBM operates out of the "Sacher Multi-Media Center." Fred Sacher is a Director of the Leadership Institute.
Every nonprofit has a chance to add to their profile at guidestar. Here's what Leadership Institute has to say about their mission:
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE 1101 N Highland St Arlington, VA 22201
Mission
The Leadership Institute's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative public policy leaders.
Founded by Morton C. Blackwell in 1979, the Institute identifies, recruits, trains and places conservatives in the public policy process.
The Institute produces leaders for a new generation of public policy leadership unwavering in its commitment to free enterprise, limited government and traditional values and equipped with the practical skills to implement sound philosophy through effective public policy.
Programs
Over the past twenty-four years, the Institute has trained more than 30,000 of America's brightest young men and women for effective leadership in the public policy process.
The Institute offers 18 educational programs, an intern program, an Employment Placement Service and a Broadcast Journalism Placement Service to train young conservatives and then place them in public policy positions.
The Leadership Institute focuses on bright conservatives, on and off campus, who attend the seminars and workshops and participate in the Institute's programs.
President Ronald Reagan said that the Leadership Institute is "paving the way for a new generation of conservative leadership."
The People Calling the Shots
Here are the people behind the Institute: their Board of Directors. If this Board functions at all like a nonprofit board should, the following members make the big strategic decisions about the direction of the Institute. Typically, nonprofit Directors meet a few times a year. They approve annual operating budgets and are the oversight for the very senior management. This strictness of this oversight varies from nonprofit to nonprofit. (edited after mkrempasky's comment in-thread)
Craig L. Murphy Form 990 gives his residence as Arlington, Texas. A Craig L. Murphy also runs Mobil Oil of Ghana. The same guy? Also, the Texas GOP have a spokesman named Craig Murphy.
Baker Armstrong Smith Lawyer for National Policy Board of Governors (1982). Assistant to the Secretary, U.S. Department of HUD, for Labor Relations, former executive director of the Center on National Labor Policy, Inc., and Leader of the "Presidential transition team" for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Eugene H. Methvin Alleged mob-expert tries to tie the Clintons to the mob in this hack job.
Dennis M. Daugherty wanderindiana and thebes find that he's a federal employee who authored a document dealing with oil/gas exploration.
Kevin C. Richardson Not going to get any better than the League of Women voters questionairre he filled out. Former lawyer for the Republicans.
Fred Sacher "A longtime financial supporter of conservative causes, Sacher contributed $400,000 to the Nicaraguan contras and received a note of thanks from Oliver North" (Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 8/21/94) link.
Rev. Fred Fowler Anti-union guy. Chairman of the Board at the National "Right-to-Work" Legal Defense Foundation, Inc. (sarcastic quotes mine).
Ken Thornhill "first vice president of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Growers Association." This is the guy. Unless there are more than one Ken Thornhills in Wisner, LA.
MORTON C. BLACKWELL Republican party activist for ages. Special assistant to Reagan in the early 80's. Check out his horrible writings/lectures online here. Then go take a shower.
As President of this group, he's really calling the shots. And he pulls down a sweet $190,000 annually.
John P. Maxwell Can't find anything on this guy on google. Lives in Alexandria, VA.
The "Journalism Program"
Acording to the Leadership Institute's website:
An intense two-day seminar, the Broadcast Journalism School is designed to give aspiring journalists the skills necessary to bring balance to the media and succeed in this highly competitive field.
For $50, you'll receive two days of instruction, meals on Saturday and Sunday and all course materials. Limited free housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
So, from what we know about "Jeff Gannon," (that is, from his bio over at the talon news website) he has an education degree and this two-day seminar. That's the extent of his qualifications to sit in the White House press room and lob softballs to McClellan and the President.
How did "Gannon" get White House Press Credentials?
These credentials are awarded by the White House Press Office, which I could not reach online. The mechanics of applying for these credentials need to be filled in. Anyone have any thoughts?
My Conclusions
Gannon's two-day seminar is window dressing. The head of the Leadership Institute, Morton C. Blackwell, is intimately connected to the Administration via Karl Rove. "Gannon" is no more (and perhaps a great deal less) of a journalist than anyone who walked in off of the street. The Administration, by credentialling him, guarantees spin not only in the answers to questions, but in the questions themselves. "Gannon" should be expelled from the Press Corps, and the Administration should apologize for this debacle.
And then, we must have an investigation of "Gannon's" involvement in the Plame Affair.
OK, that's what I have so far. How about you?