Congresswoman
Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI) had previously filed a Freedom of Information
Act request with the Department for all files related
to the credentialing of a former White House correspondent
and prostitute who was accused of having access to classified
information, and has since faced accusations of plagiarism.
In essence, the Department responded that, "a
search for files responsive to [their] requests is being
conducted. When the results of the search are known,
[they] will be notified."
Slaughter said she was gratified at the response, but
dissatisfied with what she says is Bush's attempts to
"stonewall" Congress.
"While I remain deeply disappointed that the President
and White House continue to stonewall Congress and the
American people by not providing any details on the
nature of their relationship with this disgraced, discredited
'reporter,'" she wrote in a release to RAW
STORY. "I am pleased to see the Department
of Homeland Security complying with our request for
more information."
The Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee
voted on party lines last month not to force Bush agencies
to turn over any information relative to Gannon's credentialing.
The letter from Homeland Security, and the release
from the members, follows.
Department of Homeland Security
United States Secret Service
Washington, D.C. 20223
Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts Branch
245 Murray Drive
Building 410
Washington, D.C. 20223
The Honorable Louise Slaughter
Ranking Member
Committee on Rules
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
File Number: 20050112 - 20050119
Dear Ms. Slaughter:
Thank you for submitting your Freedom of Information/Privacy
Acts (FOI/PA) requests, received by the United States
Secret Service, on March 8, 2005, for information
pertaining to as follows:
File No. 20050112 - Pertaining to all records setting
forth or discussing the standards the Secret Service
or the White House impose on those who are granted
access to the President and the White House Briefing
Room.
File No. 20050113 - Pertaining to all records setting
forth or discussing policies, procedures or guidelines
discussing clearance into the White House Briefing
Room, as it was applied to Mr. Guckert.
File No. 20050114 - Pertaining to the individual
or agency 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.
File No. 20050115 - Pertaining to records relating
to security qualifications for granting "permanent"
White House press corps credentials and how they differ
from those of a simple day pass.
File No. 20050116 - Pertaining to all records indicating
or discussing whether and to what extent someone who
is cleared for a daily pass is required to be cleared
each time they return on subsequent visits to the
White House Briefing Room, as in the case of Mr. Guckert.
File No. 20050117 - Pertaining to all records relating
to how many daily passes are issued for White House
briefings and Presidential press conferences at one
time.
File No. 20050118 - Pertaining to all records setting
forth or discussing 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.
File No. 20050119 - Pertaining to all records indicating
how many times and on what days Mr. Guckert was cleared
by the Secret Service into the White House, and at
whose request; all records indicating what types of
passes were issued for Mr. Guckert; all records of
communication between the Secret Service and Mr. Guckert.
We wish to inform you that a search for files responsive
to your requests is being conducted. When the results
of the search are known, you will be notified.
Please use the file numbers indicated above in all
future correspondence with this office.
We assure you that the search will be conducted as
expeditiously as possible.
Sincerely,
Kathy J. Lyerly, SAIC, Freedom of Information &
Privacy Acts Officer
Congresswoman Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) issued the
following press release.
Homeland Security Department To Provide
Details On Gannon
Department will follow through on Freedom of
Information Act Request by Reps. Slaughter & Conyers
Washington, DC - In a letter released
today, the Department of Homeland Security indicated
that they would begin compiling documentation on Jeff
Gannon in an effort to comply with a Freedom of Information
Act request made six weeks ago by Rep. Louise M. Slaughter,
Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Rep.
John Conyers, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee.
"While I remain deeply disappointed
that the President and White House continue to stonewall
Congress and the American people by not providing
any details on the nature of their relationship with
this disgraced, discredited 'reporter,' I am pleased
to see the Department of Homeland Security complying
with our request for more information," said
Rep. Slaughter. She continued, "Maybe now we
will finally get to the bottom of this disgusting
display of media manipulation."
"I look forward to reviewing the
documents that we will eventually receive from our
FOIA request. I am still disappointed, however, that
the Administration continues to ignore our requests
to voluntarily turn over information about how a phony
report got such intimate access to the President.
It is a sad day when U.S. Representatives have to
make FOIA requests to get simple answers to important
questions," said Rep. Conyers.
On February 15, Reps. Slaughter and
Conyers filed a Freedom of Information Act requesting
that the Department of Homeland Security release of
all information related to Jeff Gannon, his credentialing/security
clearance to cover the White House, the White House's
involvement in credentialing/clearing reporters, and
Gannon's involvement in the leaking of a classified
Central Intelligence Agency memo containing the identity
of undercover agent Valerie Plame.
Originally
published Apr. 4, 2005.
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