While searching for news about "Jeff Gannon" aka Jim Guckert yesterday evening, I found a
letter on the Niagara Falls Reporter site to
Representative Louise Slaughter calling for an investigation on this whole affair, specifically:
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.
I contacted the Niagara Falls Reporter to inform them that, through the hard work of SusanG and the many kossacks here who researched Gannon so thoroughly, his identity has now been revealed.
Mike Hudson, the editor-in-chief, replied this morning with a bombshell.
more...
According to Hudson, Rep.Slaughter will be calling for a congressional investigation within 48 hours.
I have contacted Eric Burns at Slaughter's office for confirmation and more details. As soon as he gets back to me, I will post an update.
Standard cautionary note: Since the news of this call for an investigation comes to me via one source thus far and although I have no reason to doubt Mike Hudson's veracity, this has yet to be confirmed to me, personally, by Slaughter's office.
More to come as soon as I find out what's going on...
Update [2005-2-9 13:39:57 by catnip]: Kossack vwibran has posted a link in the comments here to Rep. Slaughter's letter to President Bush calling for an investigation into the Gannon affair.
Text of letter:
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2005
Contact: Eric Burns 202-225-3615
Rep. Slaughter Calls on President Bush to Explain Emerging White House Briefing Room Scandal
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
Contact information to thank Rep. Slaughter:
Washington Office
U.S. House of Representatives
2469 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-3615 [phone]
(202) 225-7822 [fax]
Here's the link to contact her via the web.
Rep. Slaughter's site also includes contact information for her offices in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester.
Add Rep. Slaughter to the list of courageous Democrats who have decided to speak up on behalf of the people!
[editor's note, by catnip] Note that the Niagara Falls Reporter's online letter to Slaughter did not include Gannon's true identity or his ties to the unseemly web sites, both discovered by kossacks, that appear in Slaughter's letter. Obviously, those things were added as a result of my sharing that information and dkos links with Mike Hudson, Editor-in-Chief of the Niagara Falls Reporter. Nice to know I had a hand in helping out. But, of course, that information would never have surfaced without the tremendous work done by SusanG and her courageous band of kossacks who worked so diligently on the Gannon affair. You are true heroes in the fight for transparency in democracy and I salute you!
Update [2005-2-9 14:54:53 by catnip]: I just contacted Rep. Slaughter's office for 2 reasons:
1. There's been some confusion as to whether her letter calls for a "congressional investigation". I was assured by Slaughter's very friendly receptionist that the letter is, indeed, calling for exactly that.
2. I supplied Slaughter's office with a link to Daily Kos and this diary to let her know how supportive we all are of her efforts and how we are pushing other Democrats, regular citizens and politicians, to rally around here as well.
Representative Slaughter: if you are reading this, Daily Kos welcomes you to join our membership and post some thoughts of your own. We've recently been joined by Senator Boxer and Simon Rosenberg who have made posts and we would welcome yours as well! Thank you!
