Newt Gingrich Charity Paid Cash To Gingrich For-Profit Business

[Bozita]

Source: ABC News

Newt Gingrich Charity Paid Cash To Gingrich For-Profit Business
By MATTHEW MOSK, BRIAN ROSS (@brianross) and ANGELA HILL
June 14, 2011


A non-profit charity founded by Newt Gingrich to promote freedom, faith and free enterprise also served as another avenue to promote Gingrich's political views, and came dangerously close, some experts say, to crossing a bright line that is supposed to separate tax-exempt charitable work from both the political process and such profit-making enterprises as books and DVDs.

The charity, Renewing American Leadership, not only featured Gingrich on its website and in fundraising letters, it also paid $220,000 over two years to one of Gingrich's for-profit companies, Gingrich Communications. It purchased cases of Gingrich's books and bought up copies of DVDs produced by another of the former House speaker's entities, Gingrich Productions.

"The spirit of operating a non-profit organization is to work for the public good regardless of the politics that are involved," said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, in an interview with ABC News. "I believe it violates that spirit."

Asked about the allegations this morning prior to a speech in New Hampshire, Gingrich urged an ABC News reporter to focus on his speech.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/newt-gingrich-charity-paid-cash-gingrich-profit-business/story?id=13804431

[FSogol]

1. Newt has so many scams going, he can't keep track of them all. n/t

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Couldn't happen at a more fortuitous time for Noot

what with 24/7 weiner coverage & whatnot. This story is practically below the fold & fading fast...

[Enrique]

3. well those diamonds aren't going to pay for themselves n/t

[BR_Parkway]

14. +100

[yellowcanine]

18. And now we know what Newt means when he says, "I make a good income..."

Having your charity buy your books using other people's money from your for-profit company.

You get paid, your books move up on the best-seller list, and you pretty much get to say how the books get used. Win/Win/Win.

[KansDem]

4. "...to promote freedom, faith and free enterprise "

It never fails to amaze me that we are still equating "freedom" with "free enterprise," as if to say corporations will not enslave a nation's people. Get rid of health care and workers' rights and we'll see how "free" we live.

Scratch the surface of an US corporatist and you'll find a fascist waiting and anxious to create a society where the many will toil for the benefit of a few.

And we'll call this "freedom." :rofl:

[harmonicon]

17. Oh, yeah.

Don't you know that one's level of freedom is directly proportional to the number of consumer products available to them? If that isn't freedom, what is?

[KansDem]

19. And shelf life...don't forget shelf life

Consumer products and shelf life...very important for the "pursuit of happiness" and the "freedom" that comes of it...

[Angry Dragon]

5. Newt's private slush funds

[shraby]

6. Using his charity to buy his books that really don't sell on

the open market??? Just the guy we need for the president. :sarcasm: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[wordpix]

25. and then he can say his ideas are embraced by the public - brilliant, but illegal

[SoapBox]

7. This scumbag is dirtier than dirt.

Man...the slime just oozes from the pores of this crook.

Every time we turn around, we find out something more rotten about him.

And the GOBPers, RushThugs and T.HaterBaggers love the guy.

Guess that speaks MEGA-VOLUMNS...Can you hear me NOW?

[Frustratedlady]

9. Amen! He's too lazy to do an honest day's work.

Check out Huckabee, Palin and the rest.

[Kingofalldems]

8. Special Prosecutor needed on retainer to investigate the GOP

[Exultant Democracy]

10. This is why I don't donate to PIRG's anymore they pull this same shit. But on liberals.

[liberal N proud]

11. But at least he didn't tweet pictures of himself...

...in the Congressional Gym of all places.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Bozita.

[jeanmarc]

13. This story is likely it, the press isn't interested

Not enough sex for them.

[Roland99]

15. That's one newt that never "got better"

[yellowcanine]

16. Strikingly similar to the "crimes" which brought down Jim Wright (at Newt's instigation).

Newt may be a hypocrite. Imagine that.

The charity, Renewing American Leadership, not only featured Gingrich on its website and in fundraising letters, it also paid $220,000 over two years to one of Gingrich's for-profit companies, Gingrich Communications. It purchased cases of Gingrich's books and bought up copies of DVDs produced by another of the former House speaker's entities, Gingrich Productions.


Wright became the target of an inquiry by the House Ethics Committee. Their report in early 1989 implied that he had used bulk purchases of his book, Reflections of a Public Man, to earn speaking fees in excess of the allowed maximum, and that his wife, Betty, was given a job and perks to avoid the limit on gifts. Faced with an increasing loss of effectiveness, he resigned as Speaker on May 31, 1989, becoming the first to do because of a scandal,<12> effective upon the selection of a successor. On June 6, the Democratic Caucus brought his Speakership to an end by selecting his replacement, Tom Foley of Washington, and on June 30 he resigned his seat in Congress.

The incident itself was controversial and was a part of the increasing partisan infighting that has plagued the Congress ever since.The original charges were filed by Newt Gingrich in 1988 and their effect propelled Gingrich's own career advancement to the Speaker's chair itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Wright

[Warrior Dash]

20. That's what happens when you try to play both sides against the middle.

[unkachuck]

21. "...paid $220,000 over two years to one of Gingrich's for-profit companies,..."

"...operating a non-profit organization is to work for the public good..."

....isn't the Grinch is a public?....he's just a professional public candidate trying to make a living....

[No Elephants]

22. Grifting lizard

[PoliticAverse]

23. $500,000 Tiffany bills don't pay themselves... n/t

[wordpix]

24. "violates that spirit"---no, what Newtie is doing here is violating the LAW

I started a non-profit and THIS is nowhere near what the LAW states about the purpose or operation of a non-profit.

Newt should be investigated by legal entities for violating the LAW.