NYT - Conyers & Slaughter demand investigation of Gannon in Plame "leak"

[paineinthearse]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/11/politics/11gannon.html?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

February 11, 2005
Democrats Want Investigation of Reporter Using Fake Name
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

Two Democrats in Congress are pressing for investigations into how a Washington reporter who used a pseudonym managed to gain access to the White House and had access to classified documents that named Valerie Plame as a C.I.A. operative. The Democrats, Representatives John Conyers Jr. of Michigan and Louise M. Slaughter from Rochester, wrote yesterday to Patrick Fitzgerald, the independent prosecutor appointed in the Plame case, seeking an investigation into how the reporter, James D. Guckert, who used the name Jeff Gannon, had access to classified documents that revealed the identity of Ms. Plame.

<snip>

The Democrats also wrote to the Secret Service seeking an explanation of how someone using a pseudonym was cleared to enter the White House daily press briefings as well as a presidential news conference last month. They said in their letter that allowing such a person in "appears to deviate significantly from heightened security measures you have employed recently."

<snip>

Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, told reporters yesterday that Mr. Bush did not know who Mr. Guckert was. Mr. McClellan said that Mr. Guckert entered the White House under his real name and "like anyone else, showed that he was representing a news organization that published regularly, and so he was cleared two years ago to receive daily passes, just like many others are." Mr. Guckert was denied credentials to cover Capitol Hill, where press gallery workers said that his application indicated Talon was not his main source of income and that they could not verify its legitimacy.

Karl Frisch, a spokesman for Ms. Slaughter, said: "This is a guy who could not get credentialed by the House or the Senate press galleries, and yet managed to get into the White House and question the president" and have access to a top-secret document. He added: "To imply he has no connection to the White House is just not credible."

[ClintonTyree]

1. THAT'S the direction we have to take............................

not the porn, not the journalistic credentials, although those will be icing on the cake. But what did his presence and authorization to see classified CIA documents have to do, if anything, with the Plame case? THIS is where the rubber meets the road. If he can be tied to the Plame case, it's lights out for the White House. In no way should this unqualified "journalist" be even afforded access to the White house, let alone access to CIA documents.

Let the fun begin. This is going to be quite interesting for quite some time.

[bear425]

8. I want to know who provided the CIA documents to Guckert

I just don't want him to take the fall for treason. I want them all to be exposed - each and every one of the murdering tyrants. This is great to see in the NYT.

edit:

[ktowntennesseedem]

10. Exactly!!! Lets connect the dots this time,

and quick, before they scapegoat Gannon/Guckert/whoever for this "little matter."

[Athame]

12. Well, he did not give himself the documents

So, unless the Plame documents were left lying around at the water cooler...and even then, SOMEONE in an official capacity at the White House had to generate the outing of a deep undercover CIA agent in charge of WMD investigations in the Middle East.

We have to stop letting the administration and the MSM get away with this "leak" business. It was it was a CRIME and we need to dare to call it TREASON.

[RubyCat]

13. Gannon-gate is how you convince the American people that this

administration has been lying to them. Yellocake, Plame, terror alerts, Iraq, Rather-gate, torture flights -- if you can prove that Gannon was how Rove stovepiped propaganda to the media, then people are going to be mad. This is the best way to open their eyes to the fact that we are being fed disinformation by the bush administration. You don't conduct psyops operations on the American people! Only the most blind of freepers wouldn't be outraged.


The Democrats had better play this card right.

[Rockerdem]

19. Unfortunately, "Gannon" will clam up like the other reporters.

OK, so he goes into Fitzgeralds grand jury. He says nothing, is threatened with contempt for a short while, and walks. Then collects a life-time pension for his loyalty. So we are back to where we started, with the porno and the paid journalism avenues.

[leesa]

21. He's not a reporter though, so they should be able to slam him.

[Richard Steele]

47. Exactly! He can't conceal his 'source'....

...because he is NOT a reporter!

Talon News site was registered on a Saturday, and Guckert was handed a WH pass the following Wednsday.

He's a paid shill, NOT a reporter. He never did a day's REPORTING in his life!

[RaleighNCDUer]

27. That's where the other shit of Gannon comes in --

proof that he is not a reporter at all, but a plant, a shill for the administration. Can a shill make a claim of protecting his journalistic integrity, when it is easy to prove he has none?

[leesa]

20. Hear! Hear! They will work mightily to make it a porn story though.

If he outed Plame, he can probably be pressured to reveal the sources of the information.

[spooked911]

34. The porn angle is what may keep this alive! Who else thinks that there

is a lot more to the story of how a guy linked to a male prostitution ring and who spread propaganda for them is linked to the White House?

I sure do. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some truly perverted sex angle to this white house.

see here:
http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2005/02/stirring-white-house-honey-pot.html#comments

[Nothing Without Hope]

51. I agree with you. The prostitution angle is going to be significant too

I don't believe the prominence of this guy is just a random choice of "graduates" from the diploma mill where Novak gives talks and he got his journalism "degree." I think the fact that he's also involved in pimping for male military prostitutes is also a link to some people in the administration who are desperately trying to cover their tracks.

If the attempt to suppress the significant parts of the story that are already out -- the Plame connection, the suspicious waiver of security checks, and the business of being a paid administration shill given precedence over respected professional journalists -- doesn't hold back the tide, Jimmy-Jeff Gannon-Guckert's continued health may be in jeopardy. I think he knows some things that would finger some important people.

[Raksha]

57. I agree...the male prostitution angle is what will keep it alive...

...and that's why it should be exploited to the hilt! That's what will make the kool-aid drinkers pay attention in spite of themselves, given their fixation with all things sexual--especially when it's gay sex. Personally, I'm a lot more interested in who could have leaked the Plame document to Gannon. I'm only marginally interested in the male prostitution angle, except as a possible cause for blackmail.

Yeah, I sound a little bit cynical, even to myself. But that's how THEY play it, dammit, and if the sleaze is what keeps this story alive than we need to use it for all the mileage we can get out of it.

[lonestarnot]

2. Faithful Conyers... I don't know another who is so dependable n/t

[McCamy Taylor]

3. SMART Conyers! Gannon must know a lot otherwise the GOP

wouldnt be trying so hard to protect him, having Wolt Blitzer and the usual suspects portray him as a "real journalist" who has been unfairly slimed. Why is it so important to the GOP that Gannon's career be salvaged? It isnt as if their base will accept him any more, not after it has seen the pic of him in his undies on the internet. However, if they can convince him that he might still possibly have a future within the Right Wing Media Conspiracy (he doesnt), he might be persuaded NOT to talk when the subpoenas begin rolling in, which they are going to start doing any minute now, because Congressmen can smell a potential witness a mile away, and Gannon has that "I am so depressed wont anyone talk to me" scent all over him.

The GOP hopes to string him along, keep him quiet through the hearings to come, then, when his hour in spotlight is over, drop him like a twenty ton weight in the deepest body of water they can find never to be heard from again. Their deepest fear is that Gannon might do a David Brock, make a sharp turn to the Left and find that he is not just accepted, he is embraced in his cute undies, because we on the Left celebrate individuality, and you have to admit, he did look kind of precious.


Pardon the Falkneresque prose. It is early, and I have not had my coffee.

Let the subpoenaings begin!

[Hoping4Change]

37. The left doesn't need a deceitful despicable worm like Gannon.

Anyone who is in anyway associated with the Plame outing is a snivelling piece of crap. :puke:

[McCamy Taylor]

48. Disagree. The left, unlike the right, judges actions, not people.

[Hoping4Change]

61. Exacttly and his actions are repellent.

[Maguzzi]

4. M$M cant keep the lid on this one

Multi dimensional puzzle with too many far reaching paths

[Roland99]

7. Exactly! There was still nothing on any evening newscast last night

[Maguzzi]

5. Wonder what novak thinks now?

[Maguzzi]

6. whats that sound?

GOP shutters slamming shut

[Mugsy]

9. Could Novak's "reliable source" be a hack reporter?

That would be just too funny.

I'm more suspicious that Gannon delivered "the Bush National Guard" memos to CBS.

[oasis]

31. whoop,there it is. (n/t)

[Beetwasher]

11. Beautiful!

Well stated, succinct, hits on the key issues...

[masjenkins]

14. haven"t seen the undie picture. link anyone? n/t

[Hoping4Change]

39. Here you go.

http://www.horkulated.com/article.php?story=20050210131602920

[Snotcicles]

15. Whats the use?

Investigations are like fertilizer. They make the lie grow.

[McCamy Taylor]

24. Au Contraire! Just need to find the weakest link.

[DemonFighterLives]

16. I'm missing something

What is the story with Jeff and the Plame affair? Apparently he is suspected of having seen documents?

[Maguzzi]

17. But the real question is...

Will he be number on on the list next week here?

[Snotcicles]

18. He must have been a Leakie LOL

[Occulus]

63. check out what he said in Freeperville

it's telling:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3091546#3093467

[DemonFighterLives]

64. thanks, I saw where you posted that in the other thread

That was very interesting especially for freeperville.

[peacetalksforall]

22. BS BS BS

"Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, told reporters yesterday that Mr. Bush did not know who Mr. Guckert was....."

Mr. Bush knows who Mr. Eberle is.

What a rotten lie.

I'll bet that we will learn that there was an arrangement where the door would be opened wide for Mr. Fake and that it will be proven that he received the questions or subject for the questions from the Republican Party, possibly through Eberle, if not direct.

[McCamy Taylor]

25. He didnt know Kenny Boy either.

[Lorien]

23. There's a lot more to this story

otherwise, the MSM bid to whitewash it wouldn't have been so immediate and desperate.

[McCamy Taylor]

26. Bingo! What's that I smell? GOP fear!

:nopity:

[thereismore]

28. * knew Gannon. He called him "Jeff", didn't he?

Am I wrong on this, or was it just Scottie who called him "Jeff" repeatedly?

I fear that the Gannon investigation will run into a wall. His access
to the Plame documents could mean that he is a CIA agent himself. They like aliases.

[Roland99]

33. Scottie boy said in a recent interview he called him by his real name

but in White House Press Briefings, Scottie boy calls on a "Jeff" who poses questions right inline with the softballer "Gannon"

[my_pet_wolf]

49. Video from KO show shrub did not call "Gannon" by name- only "sir"

Maybe it was short for "Sir HotmilitaryStudMuffinMan4Men"

[ultraist]

29. From the blogs to the pages of the NYT!

I love it! M$M gets the story from the blogs.

And once again, Conyers steps up to the plate. :kick:

[Walt Starr]

30. Okay, could Gannon's "resignation" really been an ultimatum?

Seriously, look at how hard they MSM and administration is trying to cover this thing up! Could Guckert have gotten nervous about where the bloggers were going, tried to get some help and was rfused, then decided to blow it all open by "resigning"?

It was not until after Guckert "resigned" that the whores started trying to prop him up. Scottie McClellan has been propping him up too, outright lying about the situation.

Just a potential avenue for investigation.

[spooked911]

36. If Guckert spills what he knows, he's going to wind up as a "suicide" in

a hotel room, I bet.

[TWiley]

32. I sure hope this gains momentum.

I had all but given up on the Plame issue. This is a refreshing breath of life that may actually go somewhere. I wonder if Debbie Stabenow, or Carl Levin will chime in.

I am sure that KKKarl is working on this as we type. Realistically though, it will probably go the same way that the Dan Rather story went. The story he reported on was basically the truth, he was just unfortunate enough to have used the wrong evidence.

As a result, most Americans believe the whole story was fraudulent, and not just the cited evidence. It could have been a deliberate and very shrewd maneuver to dispel the whole AWOL question. I hope the same thing does not go wrong here.

[BamaDem]

35. Me too. Could this begin to awaken people?

Three journalists have been identified as on the WH bankroll to regurgitate its rhetoric as official news. Maybe, with this Gannon fiasco lumped in, others will begin to question the honesty of the current administration and its so-called Christian values.

[TWiley]

60. I think your last phrase is the key

"to question the honesty of the current administration and its so-called Christian values."

I really believe that the key to our victory lies in the church community. We should not capitulate to their beliefs, but somehow we need a legitimate Christian voice of opposition.

As long as the choir sings the praises of their new lord, the truth will be overlooked. If the choir stops singing long enough to clear their throats, then I believe the truth will be revealed.

It does no good for a heathen to question supposed "Christian Values". We need Christians to do that.

[tom_paine]

38. Since they are not members of THE PARTY and therefore Enemies of the State

their pleas will be ignored.

Like asking Ferdinand Marcos to investigate the Benino Aquino murder.

[paineinthearse]

40. Slaughter & Conyers joint press release

Louise & John, :yourock:

http://www.slaughter.house.gov/HoR/Louise/News/Press+Releases+By+Date/2005+Press+Releases/Slaughter+calls+on+Special+Investigation.htm

For Immediate Release
February 11, 2005 Contact: Eric Burns
202-225-3615

Rep. Slaughter Calls on Special Prosecutor to Investigate Gannon's Role in Plame CIA Document Leak Scandal


Reps. Slaughter & Conyers Call on Special Prosecutor and
Secret Service to Investigate Growing Gannon Scandal

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Rules, and Rep. John Conyers (MI-14), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, called on Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate the leaking of a classified Central Intelligence Agency memo containing the identity of undercover agent Valerie Plame to a man at the center of the White House Press Briefing Room scandal, "Jeff Gannon."

Rep. Slaughter, a long-time advocate for media reform and accountability, brought this story into the national spotlight days ago when she wrote President Bush asking for an investigation into the issue.

"This matter is growing more serious by the day. We now know that 'Jeff Gannon' had access to classified CIA documents that contained the identity of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame. This is more than an issue of media manipulation by the White House... this is now an issue of national security," said Rep. Slaughter. "What is the White House hiding? This man, Mr. Gannon, should never have been admitted into the White House briefing room in the first place. Someone let him in day after day. Someone gave him access to classified CIA documents. Someone must answer for this. It is critical that we uncover the exact nature of the relationship between Gannon and this White House," added Slaughter."

In addition, Reps. Slaughter and Conyers wrote W. Ralph Basham, Director of the Secret Service, calling on his office to provide details on the security clearance of day pass holders in the White House briefing room as well as any and all information they can provide on Mr. Gannon.

"White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan was unable to answer these important questions in yesterday's briefing so we hope the Secret Service will be able to fill in the blanks," said Slaughter. "Since the White House has denied any role or responsibility in this matter I hope the Secret Service can shed some light on their procedures for clearing day pass holders to the White House briefing room," continued Slaughter.

The letters follow:

February 10, 2005
Mr. Patrick J. Fitzgerald
United States Attorney
US Attorney's Office
219 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 5000
Chicago, IL 60656

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald:

We write to ask that you investigate the leak of a classified Central Intelligence Agency memo containing the identity of undercover agent Valerie Plame to James D. Guckert, a member of the White House press corps. It appears that the White House was so focused on smearing the reputation of Ambassador Joseph Wilson, that it knowingly leaked his wife's identity to a Republican activist posing as a journalist.

James D. Guckert, who operated under the false name "Jeff Gannon," and may have engaged in criminal activity, had been attending press events at the White House for up to three years. Mr. Guckert reportedly received an internal and classified CIA memo that revealed the identity of Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife. Because of the extremely sensitive nature of this leak, and its relation to the investigation you are conducting, we believe that you as special counsel are the most appropriate person to conduct the inquiry.

Under Department of Justice regulations, a special counsel should investigate when (1) a "criminal investigation of a person or matter is warranted," (2) the investigation "by a United States Attorney Office or litigating Division of the Department of Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department," and (3) "it would be in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to assume responsibility for the matter."1 In the present case all three factors have been met.

As has been long discussed, revealing the identity of an undercover agent violates myriad laws. Whoever in the Administration gave Mr. Guckert the memo risked Ms. Plame's very life and must be punished to the full extent of the law.

There is a clear conflict of interest in the Administration investigating Mr. Guckert's role in this crime. Mr. Guckert and the White House press operation work together closely to forward the President's policies.

First, Mr. Guckert would not be considered a bona fide journalist by his peers in the press corps, as most of his claims to legitimacy have already been discredited. Access to the President and his press corps is highly competitive, and many seasoned journalists have not had the honor of attending the events or enjoying the access Mr. Guckert has. That a person of these dubious qualifications was given such close contact to the President, perhaps in violation of standard security procedures, demonstrates the Administration's affinity for and bias towards Mr. Guckert.

Second, Mr. Guckert's questions clearly reiterated the White House's policy, and simply asked for concurrence. Finally, Mr. Guckert's "articles," published by a news front for GOPUSA, track White House talking points word for word.

Clearly, Mr. Guckert returned the White House's favor by advancing the President's policies with gusto. With such a close relationship between Mr. Guckert and the White House, the conflict of an administration-led investigation is all too apparent.

Finally, the public interest has been thwarted far too long over the leak of Ms. Plame's identity. It has been over a year and a half since Robert Novak published Plame's identity and we are no closer to finding who in the Administration illegally leaked her status as an undercover agent. Having a special counsel immediately follow up this lead is necessary to ensure that those who risk their lives for our country to gather intelligence are fully protected.

We look forward to hearing whether you will be following up on this new information, or if you have, what progress you have made.

Sincerely,

Louise Slaughter John Conyers, Jr.


Ranking Member, Ranking Member,
Committee on Rules Committee on Judiciary


February 10, 2005

W. Ralph Basham, Director
United States Secret Service
950 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20223

Dear Director Basham:

We write to inquire about the process you employ to clear individuals for attendance at events within a close proximity of the President. We have recently become aware that a Republican activist, with a potential criminal past, gained access to the White House press briefing room and Presidential press conferences and was allowed to work under an assumed name. This appears to contradict the strict standards you have set for protecting the President in the past and have applied to others seeking access to the White House or the President.

It has recently been revealed that James D. Guckert has been repeatedly cleared by your office to attend White House press briefings over the last several years. He was, however, allowed to operate under an assumed name, which we understand to be contrary to your usual policies. That he may be engaged in illegal activity only heightens our concern.

We are concerned that such an individual was allowed within a few feet of the President when the public is routinely disallowed any possible contact with either the President or the White House. We understand that your security policies are developed in conjunction with the White House and want to ascertain your respective roles in this decision as it appears to deviate significantly from heightened security measures you have employed recently.

While we appreciate the extremely difficult task you are assigned to, we are concerned about these discrepancies. For this reason, we ask the following questions:

* What standards do you impose on those who are granted access to the President and the White House Briefing Room? Do you routinely allow guests to use false names?

* Were those standards applied to Mr. Guckert? If not, why, and at whose request?

* This afternoon, the White House Press Secretary denied any responsibility for determining who is granted clearance into the White House Briefing Room. What individual or agency is responsible for requesting that the Secret Service conduct a security clearance for individuals or members of the media who wish to enter the White House Briefing Room?

* What are the security qualifications for granting "permanent" White House press corps credentials and how do they differ from those of a simple day pass?

* When someone is cleared for a daily pass, are they required to be cleared each time they return on subsequent visits to the White House Briefing Room, as in the case of Mr. Guckert, who returned frequently for up to two years?

* How many daily passes are issued for White House briefings and Presidential press conferences at one time? Is there a limit in place for security or other reasons?

* Who has the authority, if at all, to exempt an individual or member of the media from security clearance by the Secret Service in order to gain access to the White House Briefing Room?

* How many times and on what days was Mr. Guckert cleared by the Secret Service into the White House, and at whose request?

Thank you in advance your prompt attention and response to this matter.

Sincerely,



Louise Slaughter John Conyers, Jr.


Ranking Member, Ranking Member,
Committee on Rules Committee on Judiciary

[Maguzzi]

41. lies lie lies yeah....

there gonna get u....

[Maguzzi]

42. the truth never loses because it goes on forever..

[Maguzzi]

43. bring back ari fast

scottie is buckling

[Maguzzi]

44. guckert gate

[Scout]

45. kick

[satya]

46. Do Conyers and his staff ever sleep? What a dynamo! nt

[paineinthearse]

50. God bless Reps. Conyers, Tubb-Jones, Waxman, Waters, Watt, Brown......

and the entire Congressional Black Caucus!!!

http://www.house.gov/cummings/cbc/cbchome.htm

:yourock:

[Quakerfriend]

52. Possible link btw. Hannity and Gannon ??

http://mediamatters.org/items/200502100001

HANNITY: Now, Jeff Gannon, who is a terrific Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent for Talon News, actually shot me an e-mail today, and he's about to break a story in an exclusive about these CBS documents.
Gee, Sean it sucks when they have you on tape.

This could be traced right back to the White House and has the
potential to take * down. Gannon was a White House stooge .... now how did
he know about the blogger's having a story about Rather having "fake" documents?
We know that Creative Response Concepts helped in both the Swift Boat slime job
and the Rather job ...... where does Mr. Gannon come in?

We now have the power to "frame the debate" and bypass the MSM
which is now running from this story.


http://www.crc4pr.com /
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/09/10/forgery/in...

[Maguzzi]

53. Not Hannity..It cant be

The Gopicon. He is upstanding. I am sure he didnt know this was
Gukkert. Hes the straightest shooter in the party. And his hair is so well managed. A loose Gannon here.

[Maguzzi]

54. How bout that straw man Colmes...

I love how he doesnt dare bring this up. Great how Franken kept referencing him in small font in his book. The other nicht he just sat there next to Red Rove and said nothing.

[Maguzzi]

55. Who is burning up the story tonight in M$M

keep the ball rolling guys......

[Quakerfriend]

56. Hi Maguzzi!

:hi:

And, a great big welcome to DU for you!

Nothing much on tonight. I'm hoping for Lautenberg and Slaughter to help to keep this story going! There's got to be more to Gannon!

[Maguzzi]

66. eya.. hanks

try to post at work more .....

[Carolab]

58. I think Scotty told Jeffy about Val and Jeffy leaked it to Novakula. n/t

[Divine Discontent]

59. fake news headline from me, enjoy

click here:



if anyone likes it they can post it where it can be easily seen, it made me laff, and isn't that ALL that matters?

this whole gannon story is a load of POOP! it's all so easy to see
what was done, and dammit, I'm angry.

[Up2Late]

62. WWWWHHHOOOHHHOOOOO!!!!!

Awesome!

[baron j]

65. Teke freak

It is vastly amusing how they are trying to play him off as the victim of a smear campaign on the tv so-called-news. I absolutely refuse to believe that a tau kappa epsilon brother could ever be a respected journalist who was admitted into the White House press room on his own merit.

I went to one of those crappy schools in the state system of Pennsylvania that Guckert claims to have a degree from, and I remember the scary Teke signs around campus. They always had bloody skulls on them with an arrogant message. The Teke members were usually meathead jock types who would yell threateningly out the window at anyone walking by their house.

Some years later, I was unfortunate enough to have to go into one of their houses, when I was helping my girlfriend deliver packages from her parents to her jerky younger brother who was a teke brother at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania (Sound familiar? Certainly, Guckert was aware of that chapter in Penna). The inside of that house made the Munster's home look like Donna Reed's house.