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Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop

JeffGannon.com is no more.

The voice goes silent.

Because of the attention being paid to me I find it is no longer possible to effectively be a reporter for Talon News. In consideration of the welfare of me and my family I have decided to return to private life. Thank you to all those who supported me.

World o'Crap has the background. I don't like this outcome. It's one thing to criticize a person's politics, even to question their journalistic credentials and ethics. It's another to force them underground.

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    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#1)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Tue Feb 08, 2005 at 10:31:09 PM EST
    It's one thing to criticize a person's politics, even to question their journalistic credentials and ethics. It's another to force them underground. Do you think it's OK to question his identity? "Jeff Gannon" was a fiction. He was working as a member of the White House press corps under a pseudonym and using that position as a shill (and I'm using that term in its literal sense, not as an insult) for the White House information staff. The only question anyone has been asking is: who is this guy?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 08, 2005 at 10:39:12 PM EST
    He wasn't "forced underground." He, apparently alone among the WH press corps, had been working under a pseudonym. That was "working underground." He could have continued his fiction of being "Jeff Gannon," or even used his real name. He wasn't "forced" to do anything. riffle

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 08, 2005 at 10:46:30 PM EST
    I was referring to his outing on personal issues. And the bloodlust that seems to have overtaken both sides...the right going after Eason, the left going after Gannon.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#4)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Tue Feb 08, 2005 at 10:52:35 PM EST
    I was referring to his outing on personal issues. You mean his ownership of an Internet domain with a sexually suggestive name? I'll admit that did prompt some snickering among commenters at Atrios'. Do you think that discovery would be treated differently if it was found to be true of a different member of the White House press corps?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#5)
    by susan on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 12:24:36 AM EST
    "In consideration of the welfare of me and my family.." Anyone who writes like this has no business in journalism.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 12:26:08 AM EST
    I have to agree pretty strongly with TalkLeft on this one. The left half of the blogosphere is quickly popping up with posts such as this one that don't even veil their homophobia. Well I guess it's a little veiled since the Village People picture is in a link that says "this is his family" rather than being embedded in the post, but that's a pretty thin veil. I made the same complaints when Ed Schultz started flinging around mafia stereotypes for anyone with an Italian-sounding name during the Bernard Kerik debacle. No one is going to win any converts by saying "Look! He's a fag!" either with words or with pictures. At best, that says to me that they think it's only OK to be gay if I agree with them--or that if it's OK to disparage him because he is gay, then maybe it's OK to disparage me for the same reason.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 01:43:59 AM EST
    You might be jumping to an unwarranted conclusion as to why he quit. I didn't see any real outing on personal issues, although there are posts and comments on some lefty sites (regrettably) making fun of the fact that the same person/company that registered his sites also registered some that suggest some sort of gay military theme. (Also the fact that there is a picture of him without a shirt, which makes him gay -- how? I don't get that at all.) Thing is, the sites are registed by a J. Daniels and a Bedrock Corp., and "Gannon's" real name is Guckert. For all we know, J. Daniels is a more web-savvy friend or associate who registered "Gannon's" conservative sites as a favor and the others for his own use, or maybe "Gannon" registered the apparently gay-themed addresses as some sort of joke or for some other inscrutable purpose. The "evidence" suggesting he is gay is awfully scant; I for one don't consider it very persuasive at all. My point is, Guckert could have quit because of the "shame" being gay will cause in his conservative circles, and any hooting or mocking from the left, if this is true, would be disgusting. But he may also have quit because he knows that he is now drawing so much attention that his fraudulent credentials, fake name, favored position in the White House press room, possible role in the Plame affair, and the funding of Talon, etc., is now a scandal which would get much bigger if he didn't try to disappear as soon as possible. Thus, I'd wait to see if we find out why in fact he did quit (if we ever find that out) before we assume it was because he was outed. It may be he quit because he is trying to hide some unsavory vast right wing conspiracy stuff, in which case we don't have to feel bad about the cirumstances of his downfall at all.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 04:12:24 AM EST
    Mr. Guckert isn't "going underground", but he is trying to avoid the spotlight. I suspect being exposed as a pseudonym is the real reason why he's giving the gig up, and that the whole "gay porn" thing is being exploited as an excuse. After all, remember the nanny that never was, helpfully protecting a certain withdrawn candidate from further questioning?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 04:59:53 AM EST
    If it's been said once, it's been said a thousand times. If there is something that you are embarrassed by, want to keep secret, or feel would jeopardize your job or the safety of you or you family do not put it on the internet. Regardless of if you personally feel this is acceptable behavior for a White House Press Corp. reporter, he knew it wouldn't play in Peoria. I am huge fan of privacy rights, and I hate to see ad homien attacks which draw away from actual debate. This, however, was his own damn fault and was a victim of his own stupidity. You have no expectation of a right to privacy of what you put on the internet for others to see.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 05:09:18 AM EST
    Jesus, it didn't get rid of Andrew Sullivan after seeing the news spread of his A** on barebackcity.com. They didn't stalk him, taking photos of him with zoom lenses going into the baths they just posted his public website info. Just more proof of how being closeted twists your mind.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 05:57:00 AM EST
    What really struck me about World o'Crap (you have to visit a site with that kind of name!) is that the tone was exactly the same as many of the Kos'ians that hang out here and call names. Must be some sort of infection. -C

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 06:06:15 AM EST
    Not an infection so much as a feeding frenzy I think. Kudos to TL for not joining in.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 06:11:32 AM EST
    The real deal is that Gannon(?) was outed as a phony journalist. Just one more example of the Orwellian practices of the Bush administration and is right wing operatives. Kind of goes along with paid pundit and screening lists for presidential speeches.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 06:17:16 AM EST
    I suspect he has dropped out of sight to avoid the possible exposure that he was on contract just like Armstrong Williams. It's really not a good thing for people to pose as journalists when they are on the payroll of the administration. We have enough rightwing cheerleaders in the press corp without seeding the corp. My take: when these guys drop, they are probably trying to avoid complete disclosure and possible prosecution.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 06:18:39 AM EST
    One other idea as fundraiser: a debate or evening with Churchill and Gannon as the main event. Let them square off and duke it out in the world of ideas and communication.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#16)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 07:15:53 AM EST
    He's a phony "journalist" and Douc Langur nailed it. Good riddance. Trolls, No true progressive cares one whit about his sexual orientation, only his agenda. Which is to promote himself and his politics. Personally, I read him once, puked, then moved on.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 07:15:59 AM EST
    Most homosexuals I know are republican, and unfortunetely one of the best ways to expose the hypocrasy of the republican party is to point out that many of their leaders are gay, for example Ken Mehlman. This does make liberals sound homophobic but it is also a good way to get the religous right to stay home and quit screwing up the country.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#18)
    by Rich on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 07:31:12 AM EST
    He was "out", you just needed a few mouseclicks to put it together. A public figure (even one with a fake identity) who's lifestyle is relevant to their public blathering should be called on stuff like this.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 07:31:28 AM EST
    I don't object to outing the guy as much as I do the epithets and stereotypes people are throwing around in their glee over his exposure. Karl, you must not know many gay people, because we are, on the whole, a pretty liberal group. In Colorado, a state with plenty of Republicans, the Log Cabin Republicans had exactly one member for years--until the '04 election cycle, when they picked up an undisclosed number of new members.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 07:40:23 AM EST
    The press has been railing against this guy for months and wondering why he hadn't been thrown out on his a** a long time ago. I just read the world 'o crap piece - kudos to them for tempering the stench with a good dose of wit. I don't think it says he's gay. It doesn't even say for sure he's Guckert. But who cares? Except for one point. If he is, in fact, holding himself up to be this archetypical white male conservative (his favorite gun?? Puhleez,)then he is holding this political, moral and religious image he projects as setting an example of what is riteous in some peoples eyes and inviting scrutiny. Unfortunately, the people who look to him as worthy of emulation are the ones who should be looking for the "feet of clay". Too often it is the skeptic of the projected image who has to let people know that "the emperor has no clothes". This naturally leads to resentment from the offended and betrayed parties. Therefore, gay or not, Guckert or not, what kind of idiot thinks they could join the White House Press Corps and host a website under an assumed name in this day and age and not have his identity outed???? The real question I have is why this was was allowed to take place in the first place? If he hadn't resigned, is the state of this country such that media can be this tainted? This bought and paid for? And it's okay with most folks?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#21)
    by desertswine on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 08:00:24 AM EST
    Well, I just hope that nobody outs "Ed Anger."

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 08:35:54 AM EST
    He had a choice between truth and "going underground." See his choice?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 12:40:23 PM EST
    My favorite part was when Gannon asked Bush (of the Democrats) something to the effect of "How do you plan on working with people that refuse to acknowledge reality"? I thought W was going to double over laughing. I did.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#24)
    by cp on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 01:55:34 PM EST
    "I was referring to his outing on personal issues. And the bloodlust that seems to have overtaken both sides...the right going after Eason, the left going after Gannon." sorry, i must vigorously disagree with you on this. i don't give a rat's ass what his sexual orientation is. i do care that he was a fraud, and part of that fraud was touting the administration and rnc line, with respect to issues such as same-sex marriage, sexual orientation discrimination, etc. that makes his sexual orientation a legitimate issue for public discussion. anyone who truly believes otherwise needs a lesson on the meaning of the word hypocrite. further, i wouldn't be surprised to learn that there is a money trail, leading from talon to the white house. he claims to have been stalked, etc, by left-wing whackos. so far as i am aware, no proof of these alleged incidents was ever provided. just another fraud perpetrated by him.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 02:02:19 PM EST
    One possibility is that he's going underground because he fears criminal investigation or prosecution- he appears to be involved in the Plame outing and there's at least the suggestion of involvement in prostitution.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 02:59:45 PM EST
    I, too, disagree that Gannon has been "forced undergroud." The way I see it Gannon has instead been exposed as a fraud who was on the GOP's payroll and may be connected to the intelligence community. I find it much more disturbing that the executive branch would be using intelligence operatives as phoney reporters who then lob softball questions to the White House press secretary. It is also possible that Gannon has been engaged in criminal activity, i.e., prostitution. In other words, this is not a matter of Gannon's sexual orientation -- although the hypocrisy of the GOP is truly staggering -- as Rep. Louise Slaughter's letter of today clearly states. The reason Gannon left is because his cover was blown. He has been retired as a field operative and reassigned, in much the same manner as Valerie Plame. The bigger question is where does Talon get its funding. I would not be surprised to discover that Talon is a CIA/DIA front. Hell, they've been doing this kind of thing in banana republics for decades, why not here?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#27)
    by DonS on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 03:16:10 PM EST
    More important that Mr. Gannon's feelings, will Mr. Bush be willing to state that there is no republican or governmental connection involving payments to Mr. Gannon. Sometimes, the credibility of the government is more important than embarrassing one dirtbag. No?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#28)
    by Bill on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 03:34:52 PM EST
    seems to me he cut and ran, no one "forced" him underground ... I think they call that cowardice.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 03:35:44 PM EST
    "The reason Gannon left is because his cover was blown. He has been retired as a field operative and reassigned, in much the same manner as Valerie Plame." Wow, you went right off the tracks. Valerie Plame was one of this country's biggest intelligence assets into nuclear WMD until Rove, Cheney, or King George himself outed her, endangering her life and that of hundreds of other operatives. Mission accomplished. Jeff G. was a liar and a fake, who worked for rightwing billionaires trying to subvert the Republic. Outing this kind of garbage is EXACTLY what we need to do to protect the country during the continued Bushliar coup. Tens of thousands of our soldiers have lost arms and legs, hearing, eyesight, or their sanity, in the service of EXACTLY the kinds of lies Jeff G. was promoting to America. Bush owes those soldiers an explanation in the form of resignation; we owe those soldiers the dogged persistence in OUTING THE TRUTH and exposing the cowards who have done this grave crime to our country. And the same goes for the civilians, double.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 04:52:56 PM EST
    I don't like this outcome. It's one thing to criticize a person's politics, even to question their journalistic credentials and ethics. It's another to force them underground. I have to say that this is not the case at all. This man was a tool of the White House, a man who did not face the proper vetting that put him within arms reach of the "most powerful man in the world" and as a probable paid operative of either the WH or the CIA/DIA/FBI or the BFEE, not even subject to the Constitionally mandated press protections. The "gay bashing" that someone mentions above is not really the case either. The references to the hotmilitaryguy.com or whatever was to expose the hypocrisy of the gop, or at least to suggest that whatever his leanings or predilictions, they were/are inappropriate in the world of the fundamental right and yet he would be a hero to the righties. And furthermore, the going underground is just a bunch of melodramatic crap more appropo of Ludlum or Clancy or the lunatic ravings of a g g liddy or michael weiner savage. He was exposed as a fraud at best, oh, and somehow or other he, and only he, has seen the CIA document that is at the crux of the Plame Wilson Affair, and we're to think that he's just a normal guy plying his trade? This is not a matter of criticizing his politics, and certainly not his ethics or his credentials, of which he clearly has none. No, this is the case of removing a propagandist from the free press, such as it is in America these days. Driven underground, that's kinda funny. Who knew the lefty bloggers were so powerful?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 05:02:16 PM EST
    Sorry, the first graph is snipped from TL's post. I have no excuse.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#32)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 06:47:54 PM EST
    Paul, let's see how far "off the tracks" I am when this story fully develops. As for Valerie Plame, it was not my intention to conflate her with Gannon in such a way as to imply that I thought Gannon was a "valuable intelligence asset," as you put it, but rather that the same methodology is at work, i.e., when an undercover operative has his/her cover blown they cease to be of any use. But perhaps you're right. Perhaps this guy is just a yahoo from Texas who landed a cushy job. From what I understand, however, one has to go through an intensive background check to be credentialed as a White House reporter. How does one obtain such documentation without the involvement of the intelligence community, especially considering he was using a pseudonym? Is the White House really that sloppy? I don't think so. Recently, a White House reporter was denied credentials because she continued to use her maiden name professionally. Apparently, the White House wasn't sure she was who she said she was, or at least that was the excuse given. So how did Gannon obtain press credentials under a phoney name? This is what I'm waiting to hear. There's a lot more to this story than we're currently getting. The more I think about it, the more I think that there is an intelligence angle. I'll go back manipulating the tin foil, now.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 08:09:16 PM EST
    "As for Valerie Plame, it was not my intention to conflate her with Gannon" One person is honorable and a servant of their country's security needs; the other a liar for pay. Conflating them is inappropriate. "But perhaps you're right. Perhaps this guy is just a yahoo from Texas who landed a cushy job." Since I didn't say or imply any such thing, this concession of yours is as faulty as the original statement. "From what I understand, however, one has to go through an intensive background check to be credentialed as a White House reporter." Yeah, and a coup runs the White House. What else do you need to know? "There's a lot more to this story than we're currently getting. The more I think about it, the more I think that there is an intelligence angle." I doubt if this guy is in that league. He appears to be yet another AEI intern with connections to the rightwing mob. His lack of sophistication (or even English skills) does not suggest some grand scheme in his regard. He is just Scaife's go-to guy in the fake briefing room, no more or less important than Bill O'Reilly. Just as dishonorable a coward as O'Reilly, in fact. Plame, on the other hand, not a coward. Someone who took great risks with her personal safety to help protect the nation. So I bristle at the correlation, and imagine that you must not have meant to make such a link between what is honorable and what is so far from honor he hisses like a sewer rat when exposed.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 09:26:48 PM EST
    You misunderstand me. I am not being critical of Plame in any way. I am simply saying that her outing ruined her ability to perform her job as a field agent. Gannon's outing means he, too, will no longer be effective in his job as dupe for whomever it was that actually employed him. I'm not surprised he has "retired," in other words. GOPUSA, one of the organizations with which Gannon is associated, is based in Texas. Since I clarified my original statement that I did not intend to conflate the ethics of outing Plame with the ethics of outing Gannon, but rather the similar position in which Plame and Gannon each found themselves, I find it odd that you felt it necessary to reiterate my clarification. Are you simply agreeing with me or are you just trying to be snide? Allow me to summarize: Jeff Gannon is a part of a huge political dirty tricks apparatus which involves private individuals, the White House, and the intelligence community. Hmmm, where have I heard this before?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#35)
    by demohypocrates on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 10:24:38 PM EST
    This is important. Why would we worry about the head of CNN accusing soldiers of executing journalists?

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#36)
    by libdevil on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 10:42:24 PM EST
    "Because of the attention being paid to me I find it is no longer possible to effectively be a reporter for Talon News." Translated: Now that everybody knows I'm a planted shill, even fewer people will take my articles seriously. And since neither Scott nor George can call on me any more without the press corps breaking out into gales of laughter, I can't really throw them lifelines during press conferences. So I guess it's time to find a new line of fraud... er, work.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#37)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 09, 2005 at 11:45:03 PM EST
    "Posted by braincramp: "You misunderstand me. I am not being critical of Plame in any way." I found it hard to believe you meant to leave that impression, but there really is no comparing these two persons. One is a known hero. "I am simply saying that her outing ruined her ability to perform her job as a field agent." FAR, FAR worse than that. This was not a field agent; this was deep cover, which the US spent MILLIONS to produce. This is Bush's DIRECT harm to our national security, and it competes with Rice's outing (to the NYT) of the name of the Al Qaeda mole who the British turned. I get your intended point, and agree -- he's like Kerik, burned FEMA operatives. Turn over any rock, these days. But after all, that's what the pitchforks and torches are for. To uncover and hold in the air, the plague rat rightwingers.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#38)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 10, 2005 at 08:22:13 AM EST
    You're still reading more into my statement than is actually there. Please re-read what I wrote. You are also, in your various replies, mincing words to such a degree that this friendly discussion has ceased to be constructive. Best of luck to you in your future interpretation of others' comments, Paul.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#39)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 10, 2005 at 09:40:56 AM EST
    The short form: no real journalist AVOIDS publicity. In fact, they spend years or decades trying to make their name known. The slightly longer form- Gannon is/was a shill, a 'plant' in the press corps, a PR man for the rightwing. Everything about him was false and intended to deceive in the service of his masters. A left wing that can't go after such an obvious fraud doesn't deserve to win anything.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#40)
    by chupetin on Thu Feb 10, 2005 at 11:00:09 PM EST
    Dont act surprised, when the worst US president ever heads the most dishonest administration ever what do you expect? Truth,Honesty,Integrity are not currently part of right-wing ideology. Big Goverment,Record Deficits and Nation-Building using the Military is what they believe in now. I guess 9-11 did change everything.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#41)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 05:48:37 PM EST
    HERE GEORGE BUSH IS TELLING VLADIMIR PUTIN ,HE DOESNT LIKE THE DIRECTION HES TAKING RUSSIA,WITH SUPPRESSING THE "FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, IS UNDEMOCRATIC",BUT YET PLANTS SEEDS OF DECEPTION WITH JEFF GANNON, AN LEAKAGE OF A CIA'S OPERATIVES NAME.

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#42)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 05:53:47 PM EST
    I M BEGGINING TO WONDER IS THIS DEEPTHROATII? WILL JEFF GANNON END UP DEAD FOR KNOWING TOO MUCH,ON WHO GAVE HIM THE NAME OF THE CIA OPERATIVE?SOUNDS LIKE THE OLD REPUBLICAN PARTY AN ITS DIRTY TRICKS CATCHING UP AGAIN LIKE WATERGATE!

    Re: Jeff Gannon Closes Up Shop (none / 0) (#43)
    by Robert on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 11:05:51 PM EST
    Gannon/Guckert deserved to be outed for the damage he has done to the American public and our first ammendment rights. Not for selling his body but for selling his SOUL.