John Prescott Ellis (born February 3, 1953) is a former

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

journalist and

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, and is now a partner in the venture-capital firm Sand Hills Partners. He is a nephew of former

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

George H. W. Bush and a first cousin of former President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

and former Governor of

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John Ellis "Jeb" Bush.

Family background

Ellis's father was Alexander B. "Sandy" Ellis, an insurance executive in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, who studied at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

. His mother is

Nancy Walker Bush Ellis Nancy Walker Bush Ellis (February 4, 1926 – January 10, 2021) was an American environmentalist and political campaigner. She was the only sister of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and aunt of both former President George W. Bush and ...

, a sister of former President George H. W. Bush. Both Sandy Ellis and George Bush were members of

Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...

at Yale. Ellis is married to Susan Smith Ellis, the CEO of (RED).

Career

Ellis was working at

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during the 2000 United States presidential election, where it was alleged he called the election for his cousin, George Bush. He later provided CBSNews.com with a copy of a letter he said he sent ''The New Yorker''. In the letter, Ellis writes that he "did not share with overnor Bushany 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 ulesmore strictly than any other news organization, precisely because my cousin was running for president," Ellis told ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...

''. This controversy was picked up by, among others, Michael Moore in his 2004 film '' Fahrenheit 9/11''.

References

External links

Article on Ellis in the ''Boston Phoenix'''One Call Too Many?' CBS-article on Ellis during Election Night
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, John Prescott 1953 births Living people Bush family Milton Academy alumni Harvard University alumni Yale University alumni Massachusetts Republicans