WHOA!!! NEWT GINGRICH PAID HIMSELF $125,000 WITH CAMPAIGN FUNDS

[1836]

Get this out there. Everywhere you can. This is unbelievable.

From the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gingrich-fighting-massive-debt-racked-up-in-campaigns-extravagant-early-days/2011/12/01/gIQAtokzZO_story.html):


Creditors say Gingrich has begun paying back nearly $1.2 million in bills he owed at the end of September, and his spokesman says most will be taken care of by the end of the year. Other debts — including $42,000 owed to Gingrich himself for the campaign’s use of a mailing list — have already been paid, ahead of those owed to other vendors, according to aides and disclosure records.

Skipping ahead to later in the article (emphasis mine):

One of the campaign’s biggest creditors is Gingrich himself, who billed his campaign more than $125,000 for a mailing list and travel expenses, about half of which remained unpaid at the end of last quarter.

Hammond said about $42,000 of the debt owed to Gingrich in the second quarter was for the cost of the candidate’s personal mailing list, which he sold to the campaign. Hammond said Gingrich was paid for the list in the third quarter. The payment does not appear to be disclosed as required on Federal Election Commission reports, something Hammond said might have been an oversight.

The payment suggests that Gingrich was reimbursed ahead of other creditors for a list that he could have given to the campaign as an in-kind contribution.


Lawrence M. Noble, a campaign finance lawyer and former FEC general counsel, said candidates commonly allow such debts to sit on the books in order to pay other bills first, though there is no legal requirement to do so. Noble said not reporting the payment to Gingrich for the list would be a violation of disclosure laws.

Gingrich paid HIMSELF before paying back other creditors. He paid HIMSELF first even though his campaign is in debt. He paid himself for what could easily have been an in-kind contribution to his own campaign. For a list he already owned. UNBELIEVABLE!

Gingrich's debt problems do not simply extend to his own personal reimbursement. No, no. They go back to unpaid jet expenses from JUNE.
Further from Washington Post (emphasis mine):

Nearly half of what Gingrich owed at the end of the third quarter was due to Moby Dick Airways, a private jet broker, which has been waiting since June for more than $451,000 from the campaign. The company arranges private charter flights for Republican politicians, speechmakers and other public figures, and it earned more than $6.6 million in business from Gingrich’s now-defunct nonprofit group, American Solutions for Winning the Future.

Disclosure records suggest that Gingrich, as a presidential candidate, racked up private-jet charges at a rate of about $100,000 a week with Moby Dick until his campaign imploded in early June, leaving most of the balance unpaid until now.

“I have information from them saying they will pay it, and I am trusting that,” Roy Oakley, Moby Dick’s president, said in an interview last week. “It’s not unheard of, but we don’t usually have this kind of problem.”


This is information that is amazingly valuable in this fluid nomination fight. Use it well!

[cdc482]

How is this not all over the news?!!

[Chowder]

Simple. The news refuses to report it. They're more concerned with avoiding anything positive or semi negative about Ron Paul. They only report what will look good for the status quo.

[Kords21]

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if this gave him a bump in the polls. How can Newt be leading in Iowa with this kind of debt, no campaign structure, just opened his Iowa HQ and that HQ jus got phones? At least McCain actually campaigned. This is truly mind boggling.

[tbone717]

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if this gave him a bump in the polls. How can Newt be leading in Iowa with this kind of debt, no campaign structure, just opened his Iowa HQ and that HQ jus got phones? At least McCain actually campaigned. This is truly mind boggling.

Those of us who are making calls to IA, can tell you that a lot of Newt's support is "well I guess Newt" rather than "Newt is the best man for the job". Most of the support he has is soft. His hardcore support is that 5% that he was polling at 6 weeks ago.

[Diurdi]

Can't your campaign borrow from yourself and then repay the debt from campaign funds?

Which would make this totally fine.

[svobody]

Can't your campaign borrow from yourself and then repay the debt from campaign funds?

Which would make this totally fine.

Absolutely. The point is, he repaid himself for something that could have been a contribution, at a point when it was unsure his campaign would ever get the money to pay outstanding debts to other people / businesses. That is, he ignored debts which had been outstanding for a greater period of time, and opted to repay himself for something that he had no legal obligation to repay himself for.

[Diurdi]

Absolutely. The point is, he repaid himself for something that could have been a contribution, at a point when it was unsure his campaign would ever get the money to pay outstanding debts to other people / businesses. That is, he ignored debts which had been outstanding for a greater period of time, and opted to repay himself for something that he had no legal obligation to repay himself for. Well sure, I'm not sure what the rules say on paying yourself before the rest.

Anyway, it seems he hasn't even repaid the debt to himself in full yet.

[Kodaddy]

Drudged...

[Tod]

Drudged...

again

[ghengis86]

Drudged...

Ditto

[Kodaddy]

While it may not be explicitly against the letter of campaign laws, it certainly shows further the character of this man. He pays himself with campaign funds, then goes on a cruise and a tiffany's shopping spree. This man has NO integrity.
Keep drudging this. I think it's time for the collapse of Newt.

[mport1]

Drudged...

Me too.

[Adam West]

All I can say, is that if Newt and Obama end up being the nominees for President, I would seriously consider exiting the Country. Four more years of this is unsistainable.

End of story. Seriously.

[mport1]

All I can say, is that if Newt and Obama end up being the nominees for President, I would seriously consider exiting the Country. Four more years of this is unsistainable.

End of story. Seriously.

Agreed, Newt would be significantly worse than Obama.

[ghengis86]

Agreed, Newt would be significantly worse than Obama.

Obama would wipe the floor with Newt. I still can't believe the lizard polls so well; the electorate is mind numbingly stupid.

[Spikender]

This makes sense. After all, Newt looks out for Newt before everyone else. Instead of just contributing something he already owned to his own freaking campaign, he sold it to them.What a damn huckster and a charlatan! I'm sorry, it may be legal, but it's just the most slimeballish thing to do. I already knew Newt was a piece of sun-baked crap, but he just keeps on piling on turd after turd.

[jkr]

STOP!
THIEF!

[JorgeStevenson]

Maybe as president, in addition to his salary as president he will hire himself out to the US Gov't as a "Presidential Consultant", proceeds payable to Gingrich, Inc. of course.

[specsaregood]

Can't your campaign borrow from yourself and then repay the debt from campaign funds?

Except it wasn't money, it was an email list. He sold his own campaign an email list. He could have donated the list. If somebody is serious about being president they would donate the list to their own campaign. No, he chose to take donated funds and pay himself for it.


Well sure, I'm not sure what the rules say on paying yourself before the rest.
Anyway, it seems he hasn't even repaid the debt to himself in full yet.
Nobody is saying it is illegal, just that it is wrong.

[tremendoustie]

Added to www.notonewt.com.

Any other recent items worth including would be welcome.

[Adam West]

Agreed, Newt would be significantly worse than Obama.

I do not know what to think anymore. How is it that people remain so "dumbed down?" Grrr...

Even during this economic crisis, which is exacerbated by global hedgemony, most of the voting public remains completely impudent of clear and rational thought.

I hope that the good people on this forum, and those who believe in Liberty will triumph.

[unknown]

Lets put this in context before we get skid marks all over our underpants.

It would seem as though Newt "loaned" the campaign money only to then reimburse himself once contributions came in.


Other debts — including $42,000 owed to Gingrich himself for the campaign’s use of a mailing list...

...Gingrich himself, who billed his campaign more than $125,000 for a mailing list and travel expenses...

If they were legitimate expenses related to the campaign (not sure how this would be determined), I dont know that this is an issue that will get much traction.

I'm more interested to know what he did with that $37 million he got from Health Care companies while lobbying for Obamacare?

Theres so much other stuff in Newt's past that is much more damaging. He's a lying, flip-flopping, Liberal, globalist, more so than even Obama.

[squirekyle]

drudged.

[limequat]

Would everyone prefer that newt spent that money on ads? I say he should pay himself more. He's worth it :)

[JorgeStevenson]

Also, when you're essentially selling yourself a product, how do you determine the price? He could have sold it to his campaign for $0.01. Alternatively, he could have sold it to his campaign for $100,000. It all depends on how much money he wants to extract from his donors.

[Okie RP fan]

This needs to get out, a.s.a.p. Spread it on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

We can Drudge all we want, but I doubt he will do anything. Most of us Drudged Ron's article over Israel yesterday and not a single thing came about it.

But, I guess it's worth a shot.


Lets put this in context before we get skid marks all over our underpants.

It would seem as though Newt "loaned" the campaign money only to then reimburse himself once contributions came in.

Well, the simple fact that he used campaign funds to buy things at Tiffany's and that cruise to the Mediterranean should be damaging enough. Or did I misread something?

[milo10]

Lets put this in context before we get skid marks all over our underpants.

It would seem as though Newt "loaned" the campaign money only to then reimburse himself once contributions came in.

If they were legitimate expenses related to the campaign (not sure how this would be determined), I dont know that this is an issue that will get much traction.

I'm more interested to know what he did with that $37 million he got from Health Care companies while lobbying for Obamacare?

Theres so much other stuff in Newt's past that is much more damaging. He's a lying, flip-flopping, Liberal, globalist, more so than even Obama.

I agree. If I had to pick one thing that is absolutely explosive, it would be the $37 million. That is the sort of subject a really competent journalist could make a name for himself exposing in-depth.

But, let's see where this goes.

[milo10]

Added to www.notonewt.com.

Any other recent items worth including would be welcome.

Just a thought: I think notonewt.com would be more effective if if you put everything on a descending time-line, so the latest scandals were at the top of the page. Great site, though!

Also, do you run the page http://www.facebook.com/NOtoNewtGingrich ? I would suggest that everyone join that as well. Let anyone who looks up Newt on Facebook to add him find a popular Facebook page listing all the dirt on him.

[Athan]

Man this guy is as big of a clepto as that kid from American Pie swipping all that stuff and a candy machine. However none of this is funny.

[slamhead]

Just another example of how Newt is ethically challenged. Does no one remember this?

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/08/143333594/revisiting-newt-gingrichs-1997-ethics-investigation

[Cowlesy]

hahahaha, just hilarious.

Good to see all those little grandmas sending envelopes with their $50 checks to Newt, so Newt can smugly turn around and pay himself for his "mailing list."

Blind leading the blind.

[chri5opher]

//

[kylejack]

Can't your campaign borrow from yourself and then repay the debt from campaign funds?

Which would make this totally fine.
Yes, the travel expenses are legit. Selling the list to the campaign for such a high price is wild, though.

[libertarian4321]

Newt is rich. Really really rich. Just ask him. Actually, don't bother, he'll tell you anyway.

So rich that he doesn't need the piddling few millions he got from lobbying and selling influence.

So if Newt is so damned rich, why is he selling campaign lists to his own campaign, and quickly extracting the money?

Does Callista need another Tiffany necklace?

Or, perhaps more likely, some cute young staffer, who will replace Callista and become Mrs. Gingrich the fourth needed some fancy jewelry in exchange for "personal services rendered" to Newt the campaign?

[sailingaway]

Not to say there isn't something here about him paying himself first, but he does have to charge for use of lists. I just don't know what that value is in this case.

I think even Rand had to pay Ron so it wouldn't be above the donation limit. Only I'm thinking that was more like $5000.

[specsaregood]

Not to say there isn't something here about him paying himself first, but he does have to charge fair market value for use of lists. I just don't know what that value is in this case.

Are you disputing the claim that he could have made it as a donation in kind?

[sailingaway]

Are you disputing the claim that he could have made it as a donation in kind?

I don't know, it would depend on the corporate form his group that owned the list was in. they might have been limited to a donation limit. But it seems like they were milking it, not trying to just cover it.

[specsaregood]

I don't know, it would depend on the corporate form his group that owned the list was in. they might have been limited to a donation limit. But it seems like they were milking it, not trying to just cover it.

Well maybe it is bad reporting; but it does say that it was owed to HIMSELF, not a corporation or group he is a part of. That it was HIS list.

[PauliticsPolitics]

WHOA!!! NEWT GINGRICH PAID HIMSELF $125,000 WITH CAMPAIGN FUNDS

Wait a sec, are you saying that Newt is bad?

[sailingaway]

Well maybe it is bad reporting; but it does say that it was owed to HIMSELF, not a corporation or group he is a part of. That it was HIS list.

Hm. I see your point, then.

[Student Of Paulism]

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me if this gave him a bump in the polls. How can Newt be leading in Iowa with this kind of debt, no campaign structure, just opened his Iowa HQ and that HQ jus got phones? At least McCain actually campaigned. This is truly mind boggling.

Sure is. All these campaign problems, staff quiting, debts. None of it ads up. Considering he was nowhere 2 months ago, and then 2 and a half weeks ago he was behind Ron, then from there just instantly shot over everyone, just smells really bad. There is definitely something being manipulated or he is being privately and illegally funded by his globalist think tank buddies. No one sky rockets like that in that amount of time, i mean, cmon, nearly DOUBLE the lead in some polls showing now? Not buying it. People simply wouldn't latch on to someone that fast, in such HUGE numbers. Media is putting out bs polls, to get sheep to see that, and when they do, they instantly think 'thats the man to vote for' and sadly, that will affect his REAL numbers in a positive way. Bah....

[Student Of Paulism]

Oh and btw, guys, even more weird, i was looking at Newt's FB page yesterday. You would not believe (well lol i guess you could), the amount flaming and hate letters he was getting. It just dont add up. Then you have comment sections from so many news stories i read, with barely anyone supporting him there at all. Something just aint right.

[PastaRocket848]

i don't think it's illegal for a candidate to pay themself for campaigning. it may be illegal but just not enforced. hell, alan keye's made a career out of running for office, it was widely reported in 2008 that he was paying himself from the campaign and that was basically the point.

[jmdrake]

Can't your campaign borrow from yourself and then repay the debt from campaign funds?

Which would make this totally fine.

It would be one thing if Newt went into debt to himself for tangible things like stamps or copier paper. But going into debt for his campaign having the "privilege" of using his own mailing list to promote himself? What's next? Is he going to change his own campaign an honorarium every time he makes a stump speech?

[CUnknown]

On one hand, this is totally unbelievable and needs to be spread far and wide, because it shows how much of a slimeball Newt is.

On the other hand, who are the fools who are giving money to Newt's campaign? What do they expect?? This is a man corrupt to the core and it's better they learn this the hard way than not at all.

[Kords21]

Next thing you know he'll trademark his name then charge his campaign whenever they use his name.

[1836]

Newt can be taken down if we just let the public know what kind of a coconut this guy really is.

I have removed the support of several Newt supporters by revealing the facts about the man.

That is an open door for Ron Paul to walk through.

[KingRobbStark]

What a douche. I think he should pay back the people who donated to him as well. Seems only fair, but then again what does Newt know of "fair".

[KingRobbStark]

I have a question though. From where does Newt get all this money if the limit is 2.5k?

[Gravik]

Everyone should post this on Gingrich's FB page. Yes you'll get the ban hammer within 5 minutes, but hey, the more exposure, the better :D

http://www.facebook.com/newtgingrich?sk=wall

[Karsten]

This is nuts. How many scandals have to come out about him before he's unelectable?

[HOLLYWOOD]

This is nuts. How many scandals have to come out about him before he's unelectable?Yeah, the establishment continues to cover for Newt. The illusion of Choice in this farce of so-called democracy.

I keep on broadcasting all the bits and pieces on every avenue of social media. Especially broadcast media channels C-SPAN, corporate media. Flood them all...

Just hope the campaign can get this through to those 50+ voting groups about the charade, thinking Newt was the Wizard of the 90s


The Grinch That Stole XMAS for himself... Breakfast @ Tiffany's!