Rep. Slaughter Calls on President Bush to Explain Gannon

[Elidor]

via Atrios:

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,

Louise M. Slaughter
Ranking Member, House Committee on Rules

http://www.louise.house.gov/HoR/Louise/News/Press+Releases+By+Date/2005+Press+Releases/WH+Briefing+Room+Scandal.htm

[smoogatz]

1. She rocks.

Great letter.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

7. We need to send a similar letter to every one of our elected

officials. I have a whole stable full of repug morans "representing" my state in DC - time to rattle their cages. Would love to read the non-denial denial from McConnell or Bunning on this issue. Got an interesting letter from Ron Lewis, the representative for my District but he doesn't represent me) reassuring me from my recent letter that Republicans and Democrats are "going to work together" to solve the country's problems. Thanks for writing." Kiss my ass Ron Lewis - Baptist preacher, Contract with America designate, term limits reneger, and Bush water boy. Less than useless.

Every single reporter that is credentialed by this White House should be checked with a FOIA request. Most of these people we instantly recognize but why haven't the real journalists in the room outed the faux reporters before now? Is everybody in DC asleep?

[twenty2strings]

2. C'mon news folks...How about "oddly enough".....

[arcane1]

3. "prostitution of military personnel"?

:wtf:

I've been away for a few days, I missed that one!

and a :toast: to Rep Slaughter!

[Cha]

5. Fighting Dems! Don't

you love 'em?! :toast:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. Check this out.... have fun catching up!! lol

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3076904

[Elidor]

12. My god, I'd missed that one

You'd think they could vet these spooks beforehand, make sure none of them are child molesters or closeted gays. :eyes:

[Cha]

4. Guckert? ..

GUCK!

That is the coolest letter! Thank you Rep Louise Slaughter!

Slaughter them!

[moggie12]

6. I hope everybody signed her petition !!!!!

If anybody missed it, here it is:

http://www.fairnessdoctrine.com/

Slaughter's bill has no chance of being passed, but lots of people signing will show the Bush/GOP crowd that Americans are tired of propaganda.

Great post, Hardhead!! Loved every word of her letter -- thanks!!!!

[JoMama49]

9. You go Rep. Slaughter! You're my kind of gal!

[KoKo]

10. An Excellent letter! If only we had a Dem House....

or a Dem Senate. If only we had a few "honorable" Repugs....

I signed the petition.

[calimary]

11. www.congress.org - has a directory of EVERYBODY. Local AND DC.

House AND Senate. EVERYBODY.

You can phone/fax/snailmail/email 'em all, locally, regionally or nationally.

And until we find some other TOLL FREE number to Capitol Hill, I suggest this as a resource. PLUS, not knowing everything there is to know about long distance service(s), I'd suggest, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, to contact your own reps, House and Senate. THEN: contact other people's reps IN YOUR REGIONAL AREA, like maybe the next city or county or elsewhere in your city if it's a large one (for example, L.A.-proper has a whole bunch, just by itself). SPREAD. THE. WORD. As little or as much, as near or as far as you can.

EVERY SHRED of effort helps.

LOOK at the Boxer Rebellion. Barbara Boxer said she would stand with John Conyers and Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and others to challenge the Ohio vote IF she got enough positive feedback from people (constituents and others). And MAN did she EVER! And thus, she acted.

LOOK at the Howard Dean "Lazarus Effect." They laughed at him. They elbowed him aside in the primaries. But enough people heard his message and had gotten motivated, and felt like they/he had made a difference that they didn't forget. And they didn't give up. And when people started making noises about how he oughta replace Terry McAuliffe as DNC chair, that started taking on a life of its own. He must have heard, because he threw his hat in the ring. Again the scoffers came out all over the place. And even within the all-powerful F-in' Beltway. Especially there. But out in the grassroots, he had BIGTIME momentum and support. And that(WE, US, the "Little People") spoke loudly enough to cause an EARTHQUAKE. One by one his challengers dropped out, and HE STANDS ALONE. And like him or not, the establishment folks in the party have been FORCED to pay attention.

THE PEOPLE ROCK. THE PEOPLE ROAR.

We're just getting started.

[moggie12]

13. Kick -- great sentiment -- first thing to do is sign Slaughter's petition

See reply #6 where I posted it.

What a great post Calimary -- you are exactly right -- the more we "rock" and "roar", the more we'll get what we want.

[me b zola]

14. Rep. Slaughter nails it on the head

She calls it what it is....propaganda. I absolutely loved how thorough her letter was in putting all of this offenses in context. The BFEE has shrugged off each one of these scandals. Together, they paint a picture that they can not easily dismiss.

[hector459]

15. We must keep investigating this "Gannon" and make sure none of our

bloggers falls for anything that smacks of untruth concerning Gannon. We don't want to be "Rathered" on this so folks if you are surfing and investigating check out thoroughly your sources and facts. All they need is one iota of planted lie to through the focus away from what are still the facts concerning Mr. Gannon, just as they did with Dan Rather.
Stay wise and alert.