The James Jeff Gannon Guckert story is giving new meaning to the press terms "hard pass" and "debriefing".April 25, 2005
Scott McClellan
Assistant to the President and Press Secretary
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. McClellan,
We write to ask you to identify who in your office, or in the White House generally, gave Mr. James Guckert a.k.a. "Jeff Gannon" virtually unfettered access to the White House. In reviewing the response to our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the Department of Homeland Security several of our specific concerns were validated. While your office and the White House have claimed Gannon was treated as just another reporter, the records we have obtained affirm that Gannon was granted access to the White House which appears to be unusual for any reporter. Out of concern for not only security, but also avoiding White House dissemination of propaganda, we request an explanation to the following:[...]
2. The records show that Mr. "Gannon" was allowed access to the White House 38 times when no public press events occurred. He also spent hours in the White House both before and after press events took place. With whom did he meet on those occasions and what was the subject matter of those meetings?
3. On 13 occasions there is a record where he checked in with security, but is never registered as leaving the White House complex. How do you explain this?[...]
In fact, these entry and exit records only raise more questions, as your office has issued conflicting statements about his activities and apparently abused the press pass policy to avoid a full-fledged background investigation and allow Republican propaganda to be disseminated through a counterfeit media operation and a fake reporter.
Mr. McClellan, we have yet to receive any direct communication from your office in response to our repeated requests for information. The American people deserve to know what is happening in the White House Briefing room. It is unacceptable that you continue to deny them this information.
Sincerely,
/s
Rep. Louise Slaughter
Ranking Member
House Rules Committee
Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member
House Judiciary Committee
Maru has a suggestive photo.
Maybe he's just Karl Roverer's toy, but it would be rather fitting if he turns out to be Butthead's butt boy.
Still trying to one-up Clinton. "If he could get away with that Lewinsky affair...."
For previous posts following this story: start here.
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
Update 8:30am:
e-mails to and from Jeff.Ganon@jeffgannon.com
From: Abbe Buck - HighViz [mailto:abbe@highviz.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 7:00 AMT
o: jeff.gannon@jeffgannon.com
Cc: abbe@highviz.net
Subject: Yahoo! News Story - Records: Writer at White House 196 Times
Abbe Buck (abbe@highviz.net) has sent you a news article.
Personal message: Jeff, Hope you have your lawyer and your spokesperson in place. This apparently is going to get bumpier. Abbe B.
----------------
From: Jeff Gannon [mailto: jeff.gannon@jeffgannon.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 7:43 AM
To: abbe@highviz.net
Subject: RE: Yahoo! News Story - Records: Writer at White House 196 Times
They proved I showed up for work! Ha!
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