Ex-Reporter/Escort Jeff Gannon claims close kinship with Scott McLellan; denies romantic assertion
“What I hear about the book does not sound like the Scott McClellan I knew for two years. I can say without fear of contradiction, that I knew Scott better than any other White House correspondent or Washington reporter.”
Conservative blogger, Jeff Gannon, appearing to claim a close connection to Scott McLellan, a former White House Press Secretary. McLellan’s just-released book contains some remarkable, negative assertions about the behind-the-scenes dealings of George W. Bush’s Administration. ‘Jeff Gannon’ is said to be a pseudonym for a controversial figure, James Guckert, who served as a reporter for an internet-only service, Talon News, which ceased operations soon after allegations arose of Gannon serving as a gay male escort. (JeffGannon.com)
“Absolutely not!”
Jeff Gannon later responding to late-night radio talk show host, Alan Colmes, when Colmes asked if Gannon was referring to a sexual or romantic relationship on his blog entry about Scott McLellan. Gannon relayed a tale of “kinship” with McLellan on the show, and said that during his early days as a reporter he would turn to McLellan as a accessible news source instead of McLellan’s predecessor, Ari Fleisher, who has said he stopped calling on Gannon intentionally. Colmes also grilled Gannon on how he was able to obtain an unusually high amount of daily access to the White House when he didn’t qualify to be granted permanent access as a member of the press. (Alan.com)
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