FEMA Fraud

[Embar Angylwrath]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

So FEMA calls a news conference, giving just 15 minutes advanced notice. News agencies were allowed to listen and tape, but not ask questions and some carried the conference feed live.

Turns out it was a stagged news conference. The "reporters" were all FEMA employees throwing soft and fuzzy questions at the FEMA deputy director. FEMA got caught (how could they not, the press isnt THAT stupid), and called it a lapse in judgement.

I call it fraud.

Everyone who particiapted in that travesty should be fired.

[Ddrak]

Agreed on all counts. Seems FEMA really hasn't changed.

Dd

[Partha]

This ain't news, folks. Ever hear of Jeff Gannon?

[Embar Angylwrath]

Only you, Partha, would equate some tom-faggery with the FEMA fiasco. Well, maybe you and Taxious. And Jarochai.

And Richard Simmons.

[Partha]

Yes, only I would equate a fake journalist being brought into WH press conferences to lob convenient softballs with fake journalists being brought into FEMA press conferences to lob convenient softballs.

What in the hell was I thinking?

[Embar Angylwrath]

Yes, only I would equate a fake journalist being brought into WH press conferences to lob convenient softballs with fake journalists being brought into FEMA press conferences to lob convenient softballs.

What in the hell was I thinking?

You weren't.

The entire FEMA thing was a sham. There wasn't a single legit journalist there. It was staged from top to bottom.

[Partha]

So? The only difference is scale.

[Embar Angylwrath]

So? The only difference is scale.

Yeah.. its the same logic we use for misdemeanors, and life sentences. Your point?

[Partha]

A misdemeanor, and something that merits a life sentence, are both called crimes.

In other words, there's only a difference of degree. Which is what I said and what you're arguing against.

So, you're saying that misdemeanors aren't crimes?

[Embar Angylwrath]

Not saying that at all.

Are you saying your example and the FEMA travesty are of the same magnitude?

[Partha]

No, and my original post never claimed that either. I merely said that fake journalists are nothing new for this administration.

Oh, and one new item. You can't read.

Well, maybe that's not new.

[Finglefinn]

Jeff Gannon is nothing compared to the FEMA thing. Totally different issue and cannot remotely be compared to FEMA. Linking these two events and blaming it on the Administration is total bullshit, Partha.

One could argue that Gannon is a rogue reporter who was singled out by the regular media types and blacklisted. Much of the information about what Gannon did is skewed toward painting him into a corner, like he was some kind of White House operative or something. And the gay smear campaign which followed was utterly unprofessional and down right tasteless. Typical behavior of the big media cutthroats, however, when you are not on "their side." They'll sell their soul to the devil to get a story out of it or tear someone down.

Your post was quite a reach (around) Partha, even for you.

[Finglefinn]

Oh look! Its a conservative defending a gay dude! Oh teh noes!

[Partha]

Jeff Gannon is nothing compared to the FEMA thing. Totally different issue and cannot remotely be compared to FEMA. Linking these two events and blaming it on the Administration is total bullshit, Partha.

One could argue that Gannon is a rogue reporter who was singled out by the regular media types and blacklisted. Much of the information about what Gannon did is skewed toward painting him into a corner, like he was some kind of White House operative or something. And the gay smear campaign which followed was utterly unprofessional and down right tasteless. Typical behavior of the big media cutthroats, however, when you are not on "their side." They'll sell their soul to the devil to get a story out of it or tear someone down.

Your post was quite a reach (around) Partha, even for you.

Jeff Gannon was not a rogue reporter. He was given a daily pass at first despite not being a member of any media organization, and he continued to be able to get daily passes - for a two year period. Under a pseudonym, no less.

Further, he was granted access to the White House on days there were no press conferences.

http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/byrn ... on_424.htm

Guckert made more than two 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 other days, the president held photo opportunities.

You explain how a 'rogue reporter' could get into the White House multiple times without vetting by the Secret Service, even though he was a 'journalist' without an actual press pass while using a phony name. Well, you probably can't, but at least you can explain your whole lack of attention to it if you're going to make these judgements.

[Partha]

Oh, and by the way, what with the 'reach around' thing, I'm betting that at family functions, the bathroom sounds like a Riverdance rehearsal. Any comment?

[Finglefinn]

Explain to me how the access Guckert received has never ever happened before in the history of the White House. Get back to me when you can prove that this has never happened before and you might have a case that Guckert was given special treatment by the Administration and was somehow unfair to other journalists.

[Partha]

Guckert was not a part of any news organization when he was first issued a day pass, even though the law says that there has to be a standard for receiving a press pass. The White House has never explained what their standards are for receiving a press pass, either.

As far as the harm to other journalists, it should be fairly obvious that filling seats with fake journalists prevents real journalists from being able to do their jobs.

[Lurker]

Finglefinn on Secret Service vetting regarding the Hsu controversy...

The Secret Service has advance teams (and lots of them) running all over the US. Hillary is the former first lady and is granted LIFETIME Secret Service protection. If you believe that the Secret Service is doing their job, then they and several people in Hillary's camp knew about Hsu's past but could not say no to his money.

Finglefinn on Secret Service vetting regarding the Guckert controversy...

Explain to me how the access Guckert received has never ever happened before in the history of the White House. Get back to me when you can prove that this has never happened before and you might have a case that Guckert was given special treatment by the Administration and was somehow unfair to other journalists.

So, to recap...

A Democratic fundraiser turns out to have a shady past and people must have known because the Secret Service is just that good!

A phony reporter gets unprecedented access to the White House, including direct contact with the President, for two solid years but everybody is blameless unless it can be proven that this has never ever ever ever happened before in the history of the White House.

What a hypocrite you are, Fingle.

[Kulaf]

Guckert was not a part of any news organization when he was first issued a day pass, even though the law says that there has to be a standard for receiving a press pass. The White House has never explained what their standards are for receiving a press pass, either.

As far as the harm to other journalists, it should be fairly obvious that filling seats with fake journalists prevents real journalists from being able to do their jobs.

Just a point of clarity......that ruling does not say there needs to be a standard for granting a press pass......but instead there needs to be a standard for denial of a press pass for security reasons.

It is apparent that all parties to this case recognize the right of a journalist to a White House press pass if he has obtained House and Senate press credentials, resides in Washington, and has a need to report from the White House, unless he is a source of potential danger to the President or his family.

That is the standard.

Having determined that appellants' failure to articulate and publish an explicit and meaningful standard governing denial of White House press passes for security reasons, and to afford procedural protections to those denied passes, violates the first and fifth amendments, we affirm...

That is the ruling.

[Partha]

Guckert had none of those things, however, Kulaf. But thanks for emphasizing the point for me.