Feb 18, 2005  |  By: JOE CREA  | COMMENTS     

Several members of Congress have intensified criticism of the White House’s media credentialing process and are demanding an investigation after a conservative reporter with dubious credentials was unmasked as working for a GOP political operative.

But the story of James D. Guckert, who worked under the alias “Jeff Gannon,” took on a more salacious tone early this week, when gay activist John Aravosis provided evidence that Guckert had worked as a gay escort and posted profiles featuring nude pictures of himself on various Web sites, including MaleCorps.com and MeetLocalMen.com. Aravosis reported that Guckert’s profile on an escort site remained active until May 2003 — just before he began writing for Talon News.

Since the Aravosis report, two sources have confirmed to the Washington Blade that Guckert attended a December 1998 Christmas party near Leesburg, Va., that “always turns into an orgy toward the end.”

The party was described as being predominantly for gay men, though not exclusively. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that about 25 people attended. The sources provided to the Blade two photos from that party of a man who appears to be Guckert. In one image which the Blade has decided not to publish, the man poses with his arm around another man and his penis is exposed.

Guckert responded to inquiries for this article, but declined to comment. He has not commented publicly about his sexual orientation.

The gay revelations are significant, some gay rights advocates have asserted, because Guckert worked for anti-gay employers. Guckert worked for Talon News and GOPUSA, which are both owned by Texas Republican activist Bobby Eberle. Talon News is a Web site regarded as a Republican propaganda outlet and not a reputable journalistic enterprise. Eberle acts as editor in chief for Talon News.

Guckert, writing under the name Gannon, regularly reported on the news of the day including a few gay-related stories. In one article, “California Gays Celebrate Domestic Partner Law,” Gannon reported that “Homosexual advocates in California are hailing a new law that went into effect on Jan. 1 that established ‘gay marriage’ in the state.”

In another piece, he wrote that an aide to Sen. John Kerry used a gay smear to defeat an incumbent senator. He also wrote about the federal gay marriage amendment and about the journalistic integrity of CBS News in light of Dan Rather’s 60 Minutes II story about President Bush’s tenure at the Texas National Guard that turned out to be based on forged documents.

Guckert, who was a fixture at the daily White House press briefings, gained national attention after he asked President Bush a loaded question last month about how the president planned to work with Democrats on Social Security when they “have divorced themselves from reality.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is insisting that all documents relating to the credentialing of Guckert be released. Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) is calling on the White House to explain the matter more fully and, along with Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), wants to know of Guckert’s possible involvement in the leaking of a classified memo containing the identity of undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame.

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in a statement that “valid questions” are being raised over Guckert’s White House press credentials since he was denied a congressional press pass because he did not write for a valid news organization.

“This issue is important from an ethical as well as from a national security standpoint,” Hoyer said in a statement. “It is hard to understand why a man with little real journalism experience was given a White House press corps credential let alone access to sensitive security documents. In fact, it only raises questions as to the nature of the relationship between ‘Jeff Gannon’ and the White House, and whether there was an alliance of interests that did not conform to ethical and security standards.”

“This is an important story because this is the latest in a long line of the Bush administration using fake news outlets to promote their agenda,” said Jamison Foser, a senior adviser at Media Matters for America, a liberal media group that first broke the Guckert story.

“We found that there was no reason to consider [Talon ...