John Prescott Ellis
Encyclopedia
John Prescott Ellis formerly an American
journalist and media consultant
, and now a partner in the venture-capital firm Sand Hills Partners. He is a nephew of former President of the United States
George H.W. Bush and a first cousin of former President George W. Bush
and the former Governor of Florida
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush
.
, who studied at Yale University
. His mother is Nancy Bush Ellis, a sister of former President George H. W. Bush
. Both Alexander Ellis and George Bush were members of Skull and Bones
at Yale. Ellis is married to Susan Smith Ellis, the CEO of (RED).
, Massachusetts
and attended Milton Academy
high school, he later went to Yale University
. He was an Appleman Fellow at the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University
.
as a consultant. He then worked on his uncle George H. W. Bush
's presidential campaign in 1979, and later returned to NBC, where he worked for the elections unit. In the late 1990s he took a position with Fox News Channel
.
After ten years he changed his job and became a consultant and op-ed columnist for The Boston Globe
. From 2002–2004, Ellis served as A Senior Fellow at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. In recognition of his work on behalf of the Department of Defense
, he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award - the US military's highest civilian honor—by President George W. Bush
in January 2005. In the last few years Ellis has worked in investment banking and is a partner in Kerr Creek Partners, and also is a conributing columnist to Real Clear Politics.
. According to an interview that Ellis gave to Jane Mayer of The New Yorker
magazine in 2000, he was responsible for Fox News' decisions in calling states for Gore
or Bush, based on statistical results from the VNS data. Fox News had called Florida
for Gore early in the evening, and was the last major network to retract their call for Gore. However, they were the first (at 2:16 am ET) to call Florida
for Bush. Ellis also admitted sharing exit poll data with his cousins by phone. After the magazine interview was published, Fox News Vice President John Moody admitted that Ellis had broken rules by sharing the data and was considering disciplinary action.
Ellis provided CBSNews.com with a copy of a letter he says he sent to the editor of the New Yorker. In the letter, Ellis says that he “did not share with [Governor Bush] any of the information that was appearing on our screens" during two afternoon phone calls. The letter says that later in the evening "as actual vote results" came in, Ellis spoke frequently with the Bushes about "what was happening” in several states. According to Ellis, other workers on the decision desk – “most of whom are registered Democrats” – were talking to the Gore campaign. Ellis says that he was ultra-scrupulous because of his relationship. "We obeyed those [rules] more strictly than any other news organization, precisely because my cousin was running for president," Ellis told USA Today
.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/11/14/politics/main249357.shtml
This controversy was picked up by, amongst others, Michael Moore
in his 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and media consultant
Media consultant
A Media Consultant is a term used to describe a marketing agent or public relations executive, hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage....
, and now a partner in the venture-capital firm Sand Hills Partners. He is a nephew of former President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George H.W. Bush and a first cousin of former President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and the former Governor of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
.
Family background
Ellis's father was Alexander (Sandy) Ellis, an insurance executive in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, who studied at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. His mother is Nancy Bush Ellis, a sister of former President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
. Both Alexander Ellis and George Bush were members of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
at Yale. Ellis is married to Susan Smith Ellis, the CEO of (RED).
Education
Ellis grew up in ConcordConcord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and attended Milton Academy
Milton Academy
Milton Academy is a coeducational, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts consisting of a grade 9–12 Upper School and a grade K–8 Lower School. Boarding is offered starting in 9th grade...
high school, he later went to Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He was an Appleman Fellow at the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Career
In 1978, Ellis started working for NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as a consultant. He then worked on his uncle George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
's presidential campaign in 1979, and later returned to NBC, where he worked for the elections unit. In the late 1990s he took a position with Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
.
After ten years he changed his job and became a consultant and op-ed columnist for The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
. From 2002–2004, Ellis served as A Senior Fellow at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. In recognition of his work on behalf of the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award - the US military's highest civilian honor—by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in January 2005. In the last few years Ellis has worked in investment banking and is a partner in Kerr Creek Partners, and also is a conributing columnist to Real Clear Politics.
Election Night 2000
During the night of the 2000 U.S. presidential election Ellis was working as a consultant for Fox News, where he analyzed data from the Voter News ServiceVoter News Service
The Voter News Service was a consortium whose mission was to provide results for United States presidential elections, so that individual organizations and networks would not have to do exit polling and vote tallying in parallel.-Members:...
. According to an interview that Ellis gave to Jane Mayer of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine in 2000, he was responsible for Fox News' decisions in calling states for Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
or Bush, based on statistical results from the VNS data. Fox News had called Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for Gore early in the evening, and was the last major network to retract their call for Gore. However, they were the first (at 2:16 am ET) to call Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for Bush. Ellis also admitted sharing exit poll data with his cousins by phone. After the magazine interview was published, Fox News Vice President John Moody admitted that Ellis had broken rules by sharing the data and was considering disciplinary action.
Ellis provided CBSNews.com with a copy of a letter he says he sent to the editor of the New Yorker. In the letter, Ellis says that he “did not share with [Governor Bush] any of the information that was appearing on our screens" during two afternoon phone calls. The letter says that later in the evening "as actual vote results" came in, Ellis spoke frequently with the Bushes about "what was happening” in several states. According to Ellis, other workers on the decision desk – “most of whom are registered Democrats” – were talking to the Gore campaign. Ellis says that he was ultra-scrupulous because of his relationship. "We obeyed those [rules] more strictly than any other news organization, precisely because my cousin was running for president," Ellis told USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/11/14/politics/main249357.shtml
This controversy was picked up by, amongst others, Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
in his 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 documentary film by American filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore. The film takes a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and its coverage in the news media...
.