4.24.2005

Gannon Giveth. And Giveth. And Giveth.

Updates below.

Curioser and curioser: In response to a FOIA request from representatives Conyers (D-MI) and Slaughter (D-NY), the Secret Service has released the White House–access records of James Guckert nee Jeff Gannon. They are now available online for your perusal. According to Raw Story, the records reveal that Jeff had lots of trouble with the (ahem) ins and outs:
Guckert made more than 200 appearances at the White House during his two-year tenure with the fledging conservative websites GOPUSA and Talon News, attending 155 of 196 White House press briefings....

Perhaps more notable than the frequency of his attendance, however, is several distinct anomalies about his visits.

Guckert made more than three dozen excursions to the White House when there were no scheduled briefings. On many of these days, the Press Office held press gaggles aboard Air Force One—which raises questions about what Guckert was doing at the White House.

On at least fourteen occasions, Secret Service records show either the entry or exit time missing. Generally, the existing entry or exit times correlate with press conferences; on most of these days, the records show that Guckert checked in but was never processed out.

In March, 2003, Guckert left the White House twice on days he had never checked in with the Secret Service. Over the next 22 months, Guckert failed to check out with the Service on thirteen days. On several of these visits, Guckert either entered or exited by a different entry/exit point than his usual one. On one of these days, no briefing was held.

"I'd be worried if I was the White House and I knew that a reporter with a day pass never left," one White House reporter told RAW STORY. "I'd wonder, where is he hiding? It seems like a security risk."

Others who have covered the White House say not checking in or out with the Secret Service is unusual, especially in the wake of Sept. 11. The Secret Service declined to comment.
Read the full article here.

Here the crickets chirp at Gannon's blog here.

UPDATE: Since Gannon doesn't read Raw Story, he didn't know about the scoop till he read the stolen, expurgated AP version of it. From jeffgannon.com (permanent link not available):
AP reveals Gannon showed up for work!

The Associated Press is reporting that Secret Service records demanded by House Democrats Louise Slaughter and John Conyers prove that I showed up for work at the White House 196 times in two years.
UPDATE: The Secret Service answer procedural questions about White House briefing-room access.

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