Former Houston News Director: Multiple Social Security Numbers, Wives & Bondage Websites

Remember back around 2001, 2002, when Time Warner and the Belo Corporation decided to create a 24-hour news station focusing exclusively on Houston?

You might have to think hard, because the effort didn't last long.

But it was spearheaded by a guy named Jeff Alan, who became the station's first news director. And, well, of News 24 Houston had broadcast stories half as interesting as Alan's, it might still be on the air.

Alan, who also is a conservative activist, sued a Portland news station for age discrimination after he got laid off in 2008. The Oregonian began looking into his life, and found, among other things:

That Alan, who authored a book called Responsible Journalism, had multiple Social Security numbers, "many wives" and had been declared dead after he abandoned one of his families.

That he owns several websites devoted to bondage and S&M.


And that "A ruling by a probate judge in Michigan last week that echoes an Oregon judgment requiring Alan and his girlfriend, Patrice Bailey, to repay all charges to a credit card belonging to Bailey's elderly mother, when she lived in their Portland home."

Oh, and the conservative effort this guy with the various Social Security numbers headed? It's "a campaign to root out Oregonians who might cast fraudulent votes by assuming the identities, and ballots, of people who are dead," the paper reported.

Today's story is the first of two parts, and the preview for tomorrow's story reads: "Bondage and lawsuits."

Which is one way to get readers, we're sure.