Jeff Gannon (whose real name, James Guckert, was uncovered by bloggers in February 2005) is the former "Washington Bureau Chief" for Talon News, a purported online journalistic enterprise created by longtime Texas Republican activist Bobby Eberle.
Media Matters for America documented numerous instances in which White House press secretary Scott McClellan turned to Gannon for softball questions, particularly during heated press conferences. In early 2005, after Media Matters and others raised questions about his work, Gannon resigned from Talon News. One week later, the Talon News website was removed from the World Wide Web. Eberle's other online journalistic enterprise, GOPUSA, published articles with Gannon's byline until his resignation. GOPUSA now features news feeds from the Cybercast News Service, an arm of the conservative Media Research Center.
After initially taking down his personal website in February 2005 and declining to speak (subscription required) with the media, Gannon re-launched his JeffGannon.com website as a personal weblog and continued to seek out media attention (subscription required).
Gannon's first-known article appeared on a right-wing website November 12, 2002. His only journalism-related credential seems to be his graduation from The Leadership Institute Broadcast School of Journalism -- a two-day program run by longtime right-wing activist Morton C. Blackwell -- that appears to be more of a training ground for Republican advocacy in the media than an accredited school of journalism.
According to Secret Service records, Gannon was first granted access into the White House on February 25, 2003. He made about 200 visits to the White House over the next two years, including attending the White House press Christmas parties in 2003 and 2004. Gannon was given a "day pass" by the White House each time he attended a press briefing. Typically, day passes are reserved for journalists who do not regularly attend White House press briefings.
Gannon's application for a "hard pass" (a permanent press pass) to cover Congress in late 2003 was denied because his organization failed to meet the requirements set forth by the Standing Committee of Correspondents, the independent body of Washington journalists that grants permanent press passes. Approval from the Standing Committee of Correspondents is a prerequisite (subscription required) for a permanent White House press pass.
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