Matt Sanchez
Encyclopedia
Matt Sanchez served as a Marine
reservist.
In March 2007, Sanchez was awarded the first "Jeane Kirkpatrick
Academic Freedom Award" at the Conservative Political Action Conference
.
The conference received attention when Ann Coulter
referred to John Edwards
as a "faggot".
Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Sanchez had performed in gay
pornographic
films in the early 1990s as Pierre LaBranche and Rod Majors.
He was involved in the Scott Thomas Beauchamp controversy, as a source.
and was trained as a refrigeration
mechanic
with the rank of corporal.
On March 16, 2007, John Hoellwarth, a staff writer for Military Times Media Group, reported that Sanchez was the subject of a Marine Corps inquiry about his appearances in gay pornographic videos and related allegations.
Of concern was whether "Sanchez had enlisted prior to the end of his film career," "if Reserve Marines were prohibited from doing porn when not in a drilling status," and "how the current 'don't ask, don't tell
' policy might apply."
In an article published April 1, 2007 by the Marine Corps Times
, Hoellwarth wrote that the Marine Corps was also investigating reports that Sanchez had "wrongfully solicited funds to support [his] purported deployment to Iraq." According to the article, a Marine investigator accused Sanchez of "coordinating a $300 payment from the New York City United War Veterans Council and $12,000 from U-Haul
."
Sanchez told the newspaper that the charges were "demonstrably false," and that he never collected any funds from the listed organizations.
,
Sanchez said he was harassed by students during the Fall 2005 "Activities Day" while manning the table for the Columbia Military Society. According to Sanchez, he was approached by members of the International Socialist Organization
, an anti-war
campus group who told him he was stupid for serving in the military. According to Mark Xue, president of the military society who was at the table with Sanchez, "They were telling him that he was stupid and ignorant, that he was being brainwashed and used for being a minority in the military."
Sanchez made a series of formal complaints to the university, which upon investigation found no grounds for punishing the three accused students.
The accused dispute Sanchez's account of the events. In a Columbia Daily Spectator
editorial, "The Conservative Witch Hunt," Zach Zill wrote that while he did make clear that he found on-campus military recruitment
offensive, he had done so without the use of epithets and derogatory language.
Monique Dols, another of the accused Socialists, stated the complaint was false and "a discrediting campaign against us."
Sanchez and others in the student group MilVets, an organization for on-campus veterans, had also voiced their frustration at what they perceived to be a lack of regard for veterans on the campus. In February 2006, the university amended its non-discrimination policy to include "military status" for protection from harassment. According to the University, this was not a policy change, but merely a "semantic clarification," as the words "military status" replaced "disabled or Vietnam era veteran."
, titled,
"Diversity Double-Talk: Ivy's 'Inclusion' excludes Military," which led to his being invited onto various conservative talk shows in January 2007 to discuss the incident.
On March 2, 2007, Sanchez was awarded the Jeane Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference
(CPAC). A featured speaker at the conference, Ann Coulter
, made controversial remarks at the event, indirectly referring to presidential candidate John Edwards
as a "faggot". In an article for Salon.com
, Sanchez discussed how a photograph of him taken at the conference with Coulter brought him to the attention of bloggers, one of whom recognized him as a former pornographic gay film star. In the same article, Sanchez stated that bloggers had compared him to Rich Merritt
, author of Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star, and Jeff Gannon
, a conservative journalist who was outed as a gay escort.
and Foxnews.com
, including as an embedded reporter in Afghanistan
. His work has appeared in the National Review Online, The Weekly Standard
, and Human Events
.
Sanchez was a source associated with criticism of Scott Beauchamp's "Baghdad Diarist" writings which appeared in The New Republic
.
The story became nationally known when military bloggers (milblog
gers) and Weekly Standard editor Michael Goldfarb raised doubt about the validity of the reports of the "Baghdad Diarist".
, appearing as Pierre La Branche and Rod Majors. However, in a 2007 interview, Sanchez commented that "I don't like porn, it reduces the mind, flattens the soul" and that he considers his pornographic career an identity outgrown.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
reservist.
In March 2007, Sanchez was awarded the first "Jeane Kirkpatrick
Jeane Kirkpatrick
Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick was an American ambassador and an ardent anticommunist. After serving as Ronald Reagan's foreign policy adviser in his 1980 campaign and later in his Cabinet, the longtime Democrat-turned-Republican was nominated as the U.S...
Academic Freedom Award" at the Conservative Political Action Conference
Conservative Political Action Conference
The Conservative Political Action Conference is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States....
.
The conference received attention when Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter
Ann Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
referred to John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
as a "faggot".
Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Sanchez had performed in gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
pornographic
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
films in the early 1990s as Pierre LaBranche and Rod Majors.
He was involved in the Scott Thomas Beauchamp controversy, as a source.
Marines Corps service and inquiries
In 2003, Sanchez joined the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and was trained as a refrigeration
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
with the rank of corporal.
On March 16, 2007, John Hoellwarth, a staff writer for Military Times Media Group, reported that Sanchez was the subject of a Marine Corps inquiry about his appearances in gay pornographic videos and related allegations.
Of concern was whether "Sanchez had enlisted prior to the end of his film career," "if Reserve Marines were prohibited from doing porn when not in a drilling status," and "how the current 'don't ask, don't tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
' policy might apply."
In an article published April 1, 2007 by the Marine Corps Times
Marine Corps Times
Marine Corps Times is a weekly newspaper serving active, reserve and retired United States Marine Corps personnel and their families, providing news, information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features, educational supplements, and resource guides.Marine Corps Times is published...
, Hoellwarth wrote that the Marine Corps was also investigating reports that Sanchez had "wrongfully solicited funds to support [his] purported deployment to Iraq." According to the article, a Marine investigator accused Sanchez of "coordinating a $300 payment from the New York City United War Veterans Council and $12,000 from U-Haul
U-Haul
U-Haul International, Inc. is an American equipment rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation since 1945. The company was founded by Leonard Shoen U-Haul International, Inc. is an American equipment rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation...
."
Sanchez told the newspaper that the charges were "demonstrably false," and that he never collected any funds from the listed organizations.
Political activism at Columbia University
In 2005, while a junior at the Columbia University School of General StudiesColumbia University School of General Studies
The School of General Studies, commonly known as General Studies or simply GS, is one of the three official undergraduate colleges at Columbia University. It is a highly selective Ivy League undergraduate liberal arts college designed for non-traditional students and confers Bachelor of Art and...
,
Sanchez said he was harassed by students during the Fall 2005 "Activities Day" while manning the table for the Columbia Military Society. According to Sanchez, he was approached by members of the International Socialist Organization
International Socialist Organization
The International Socialist Organization is a revolutionary socialist organization in the United States that identifies with the politics of International Socialism, a current of Trotskyism, and the Marxist political tradition that American socialist writer and activist Hal Draper called...
, an anti-war
Opposition to the Iraq War
Significant opposition to the Iraq War occurred worldwide, both before and during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States, United Kingdom, and smaller contingents from other nations, and throughout the subsequent occupation...
campus group who told him he was stupid for serving in the military. According to Mark Xue, president of the military society who was at the table with Sanchez, "They were telling him that he was stupid and ignorant, that he was being brainwashed and used for being a minority in the military."
Sanchez made a series of formal complaints to the university, which upon investigation found no grounds for punishing the three accused students.
The accused dispute Sanchez's account of the events. In a Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator
Columbia Daily Spectator is the daily student newspaper of Columbia University. It is published at 112th and Broadway in New York, New York. Founded in 1877, it is the oldest continuously operating college news daily in the nation after The Harvard Crimson, and has been legally independent of the...
editorial, "The Conservative Witch Hunt," Zach Zill wrote that while he did make clear that he found on-campus military recruitment
Military recruitment
Military recruitment is the act of requesting people, usually male adults, to join a military voluntarily. Involuntary military recruitment is known as conscription. Many countries that have abolished conscription use military recruiters to persuade people to join, often at an early age. To...
offensive, he had done so without the use of epithets and derogatory language.
Monique Dols, another of the accused Socialists, stated the complaint was false and "a discrediting campaign against us."
Sanchez and others in the student group MilVets, an organization for on-campus veterans, had also voiced their frustration at what they perceived to be a lack of regard for veterans on the campus. In February 2006, the university amended its non-discrimination policy to include "military status" for protection from harassment. According to the University, this was not a policy change, but merely a "semantic clarification," as the words "military status" replaced "disabled or Vietnam era veteran."
Media coverage and CPAC
On December 4, 2006, Sanchez wrote an opinion piece for the New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, titled,
"Diversity Double-Talk: Ivy's 'Inclusion' excludes Military," which led to his being invited onto various conservative talk shows in January 2007 to discuss the incident.
On March 2, 2007, Sanchez was awarded the Jeane Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference
Conservative Political Action Conference
The Conservative Political Action Conference is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States....
(CPAC). A featured speaker at the conference, Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter
Ann Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
, made controversial remarks at the event, indirectly referring to presidential candidate John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
as a "faggot". In an article for Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
, Sanchez discussed how a photograph of him taken at the conference with Coulter brought him to the attention of bloggers, one of whom recognized him as a former pornographic gay film star. In the same article, Sanchez stated that bloggers had compared him to Rich Merritt
Rich Merritt
Richard Wayne Merritt is an author, blogger and attorney. Merritt is a speaker at universities, law schools and other civic organizations about topics ranging from issues on gay and lesbian equality to fundamentalism...
, author of Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star, and Jeff Gannon
Jeff Gannon
James Dale Guckert is a conservative columnist better known by the pseudonym Jeff Gannon. Between 2003 and 2005, he was given credentials as a White House reporter. He was eventually employed by the conservative website Talon News during the latter part of this period...
, a conservative journalist who was outed as a gay escort.
Commentary
Matt Sanchez provided commentary and reports for WorldNetDailyWorldNetDaily
WorldNetDaily is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from a U.S. conservative perspective. It was founded in May 1997 by Joseph Farah with the stated intent of "exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power" and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.-History:In...
and Foxnews.com
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...
, including as an embedded reporter in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. His work has appeared in the National Review Online, The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard
The Weekly Standard is an American neoconservative opinion magazine published 48 times per year. Its founding publisher, News Corporation, debuted the title September 18, 1995. Currently edited by founder William Kristol and Fred Barnes, the Standard has been described as a "redoubt of...
, and Human Events
Human Events
Human Events is a weekly American conservative magazine. It takes its name from the first sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence...
.
Sanchez was a source associated with criticism of Scott Beauchamp's "Baghdad Diarist" writings which appeared in The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
.
The story became nationally known when military bloggers (milblog
Warblog
A warblog or milblog is a weblog devoted mostly or wholly to covering news events concerning an ongoing war. Sometimes the use of the term "warblog" implies that the blog concerned has a pro-war slant. The use of the term "milblog" implies that the author is with the military.-Description and...
gers) and Weekly Standard editor Michael Goldfarb raised doubt about the validity of the reports of the "Baghdad Diarist".
Selected filmography
In the early 1990s, Sanchez performed in gay pornographic moviesGay pornography
Gay pornography is the representation of sexual intercourse between men with the primary goal of sexual arousal in its audience. There is also a tradition, and continuing considerable output, of lesbian pornography....
, appearing as Pierre La Branche and Rod Majors. However, in a 2007 interview, Sanchez commented that "I don't like porn, it reduces the mind, flattens the soul" and that he considers his pornographic career an identity outgrown.
As "Rod Majors"
|
As "Pierre LaBranche"
|
External links
- Columns by Matt Sanchez, FOXNews.comFox News ChannelFox 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...
- Articles by Matt Sanchez, Human EventsHuman EventsHuman Events is a weekly American conservative magazine. It takes its name from the first sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence...
- Articles by Matt Sanchez, WorldNetDailyWorldNetDailyWorldNetDaily is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from a U.S. conservative perspective. It was founded in May 1997 by Joseph Farah with the stated intent of "exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power" and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.-History:In...