Scandal places his Pearland-based Internet enterprise under a microscope

[Catherine Vincent]

Web sites operator stirs up politics, journalism debate
Scandal places his Pearland-based Internet enterprise under a microscope - By RACHEL GRAVES -Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Until employing a reporter who used a fake name to gain access to the White House and insult Democrats during a nationally televised briefing, Bobby Eberle managed to keep a low profile while amassing a conservative Internet following. Though Eberle was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 2000, Texas Republican officials this week declined to talk about him and even denied knowing him.

But Eberle — a former aerospace engineer who has never contributed to a political candidate and works out of his $225,000 home in a sprawling Pearland subdivision of new, color-coordinated burgundy and beige brick houses — finds himself a key player in a tawdry scandal that has captivated Washington.

Eberle is the owner, president and CEO of two Web sites, the openly partisan GOPUSA (gopusa.com) and what he says is a nonpartisan news organization, Talon News (talonnews.com). The sites hit the national radar when Talon's Washington bureau chief, going by the name Jeff Gannon, asked President Bush during a White House briefing last month about working with Democrats, whom he described as "divorced from reality."


http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/tech/news/3045613

The link has a pic of him. And I am surprised the chronicle called it a scandal.

[ewagner]

1. This isn't the wealthy Eberle

which raises a question:

Where the hell did this Eberle get the money to finance "Talon News"?

[rodeodance]

4. any pears in Pearland or only big houses?

[DemoTex]

7. Few pears .. lotsa roaches.

Pecans too.


Tom Delay (R), Pearland, TX.

[Not_Giving_Up]

13. Oh, I hate those big flying mothers!!!

My cats pounce them for me now though.

[Melynn]

8. Not only the money to finance "Talon News"

but also to pay "Jeff Gannon" a salary. I have wonder about that ever since this news of this scandal broke. Also before Talon news, Bobby Eberle seems to be only marginally interested in politics. The more facts that come out about this story the more strange it becomes. I would like to see some more attention focused on this Eberle fellow.

[jmowreader]

9. The site itself is pretty cheaply done

I just went there, and the site looks pretty bad. It's essentially a blog.

IIRC, Talon News uses a lot of volunteer "journalists"--he's advertising for J-school students to write for him to build up their resumes (although how writing for a political blog could be considered resume-enhancement for a journalist is beyond me) and we all know about Guckert's two-day J-school experience.

He has an affiliate thing going with the Conservative Book Club, and that pays him a little, and he's got his archives set up on a subscription basis. There are enough freepers out there to pay his hosting and bandwidth bills by subscribing, so really the only thing Eberle needs to pay out-of-pocket is living expenses and office space.

I bet we could link Scaife to Eberle.

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. Funny

I live in Pearland...but not anywhere near the $225,000 homes.

[rodeodance]

3. so, we come a upon a Texas businessman.... um....mmmmmm

[shraby]

5. Who is this dude?

Bill Fairbrother a GOPUSA partner of Eberle.

[stillcool]

6. Are Bobby & Bruce Eberle related? ..........n/t

[shraby]

10. According to the article, they're brothers.

[stillcool]

11. Had noticed several links via Google.....

one being a site of Bruce's stating there was no relation, but various other articles stating they were brothers. Thanks.

[lovuian]

12. Who was paying Gannon's salary??? Travel expenses???

Eberle??? thats alot of money??? and how much was Gannon's salary???

theres more here than meets the eye!!!