Newt Campaign Backs Off Releasing Freddie Mac Records

[cal04]

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/newt-campaign-backs-off-releasing-freddie-mac-records.php

Newt Gingrich acknowledged on Wednesday that his career as a high-paid consultant for Freddie Mac is fair game for the press. But that does’t mean he has to play it. The Republican candidate’s spokesman told reporters that he has no plans to release any records relating to his reported eight-year stint with the mortgage giant.

The campaign e-mailed reporters with a statement on Wednesday evening that mostly restated what the candidate had already said: he never did any lobbying for the company, but instead offered “strategic advice.” According to the release, Gingrich also did not “as part of his contract, advocate against pending legislation affecting Freddie Mac, as Gingrich was accused of doing by the moderator at the CNBC debate in Michigan.”

“Newt Gingrich welcomes scrutiny of his record in public office and as a small businessman,” the statement read. “Gingrich believes that properly vetting the potential next president is absolutely necessary in a free society and that a properly vetted nominee for the Republican Party will better be able to defeat President Obama and lead our country in rebuilding the America we love.”

But while Gingrich said earlier in the day that he would try to put out documents related to his work in order to clarify his role, spokesman RC Hammond indicated that the press shouldn’t expect to see them anytime soon. “This is it,” Hammond told the Des Moines Register when asked if any documents were on the way.


Newt Gingrich won’t release his Freddie Mac records
http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/16/newt-gingrich-wont-release-his-freddie-mac-records/

[msanthrope]

1. FOIA, nt

[Angry Dragon]

2. Where is his birth certificate??

where are his tax returns??
where are his report cards??
where are his marriage and divorce papers??
how come he resigned under the cloud of ethical violations??

[valerief]

4. Yeah, I want to see it ALL! Wait, Newt who? Should I care? nt

[Old and In the Way]

3. Great timing Newt!

Languishing around in 5th place for months, no one taking your campaign seriously. But all the other clowns above you are starting the slide and you finally get a shot at the lead...then this. The Right's favorite whipping boy and scapegoat for the deregulated bank fiasco because it's a psuedo gubmint loan originator - and Newt turns out to be a "historian" (read: influence peddler) for them. :rofl: Well done, Newt...no hypocrisy in your public position/private payouts. :applause:

When it comes to Republican ethics and family values, no one does it better than Newt.

[NBachers]

5. Hey Newtie, how many hours of work did you do for that one point six million?

I'm 62 years old. I've been workin' all my life and I still haven't made that much.

[spanone]

6. newt is full of shit and crooked as a, well, politician

[brewens]

7. Even Jackin' Abrahamoff say's this is a problem for Nooot!

Just heard Ed say that. I'm loving this!

[Kennah]

8. Cain and Perry were sucking up all the crazy in the room, and Newt wanted to get some.

[Tsiyu]

9. So let me get this straight

A guy like Newt Gingrinch, who hates government programs, is collecting welfare to the tune of $30,000 a month, from a government subsidized program, for DOING NOTHING?

Okay. Can these Republicans be any more hypocritical?

Where's MY $30,000 a month to overeat and run my mouth?

I want to sign up for this gravy train!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. I think this will be his end

The Tea Partiers loathe Freddie Mac and blame it for the economic meltdown. Not only can Newt not back up his statements that he warned Freddie Mac of the housing bubble (no one witnessed this, apparently) but he took nearly $2 million to promote the very entity that the Tea Party despises. He was their paid lobbyist. I think we've just begun to hear from witnesses how Gingrich was pushing and promoting Freddie Mac. This is Newt's version of Mitt's Romneycare problem with the purists.

On to Romney's scandalous behavior at Bain Capital. Maybe Santorum will be the last clown standing.

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. (makes rude gesture to Newt)

[Lugnut]

12. Newt is going nowhere.

As David Corn said this morning on MSNBC he has more baggage than a 747.