Report questions Gingrich charity's spending

Republican presidential hopeful, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks to the Republican Jewish Coalition at their 2011 Summer Bash, June 12, 2011, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

/ AP

An ABC News report has called into question the ethics of payments from a charity founded by Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich to for-profit businesses he also runs.

According to ABC, payments from Gingrich's "Renewing American Leadership" charity to at least two of his business ventures risked, "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 paid $220,000 to Gingrich Communications for books and DVDs promoting the embattled Republican's political philosophy, claims ABC.

Confronted by an ABC crew in New Hampshire about the charity's finances Tuesday morning before a campaign appearance, Gingrich refused to comment.

"I'm not concerned about that. The American people aren't concerned about that. Try covering the speech," he said before getting into a car and closing the door on the reporter, who was trying to press him on the matter.

Gingrich's presidential campaign has been dogged by defections and scandals since its very early days.

As CBSNews.com senior political reporter Brian Montopoli wrote following the first GOP presidential debate on Monday, Gingrich did nothing to improve his standing as a "serious long-shot for the nomination" with his televised performance.

Nonetheless, Gingrich has vowed to "endure the challenges" and see his campaign through.

Video: Gingrich jokes about staff quitting

[RobertFinneyPhD]

Kaiser Permanente Pioneered Gingrich's Non-Profit Scam

Not for profit does not mean not for money.
Kaiser Permanente's Managing Director of Investments supervises the HMO's $40 billion non-profit slush fund, all income from which is non-taxable. CEO George Halvorson's annual compensation is $6.7 million. All Permanente Medical Groups are for-profit.
The Kaiser Foundation Health Plan contracts with the for-profit Permanente Medical Groups to provide all medical care to patients, who are Kaiser members. Because Kaiser funnels all members to "a for-profit" doctor partnership, Kaiser Permanente is a for-profit medical care provider just like other health plans.
Kaiser Permanente rents its patients to researchers to secretly test drugs and medical devices, in which for-profit, Kaiser Ventures, invests.
Original investigations are posted on YouTube and HMO Hardball. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0h7tUymj2Y and www.hmohardball.com
Robert Finney PhD

[OldGeezer43]

Embodies what is wrong with the Republican party. Hw should go the way of Weiner and leave. Throw out the bums.

[justme2012]

Did Weiner leave yet?

[abbe91]

Come on ... "He is not a crook". It's not like he had sent some lewd picture to somebody, is it ? or cheating on his wife ...

[justme2012]

Go look at Biden's charitable donations....

He thinks taking a tax deduction for his old clothes is "charitable".

[Former_Marine_Sgt]

umm, guess what? IT IS.

At least come up with a realistic allegation instead of trying to convince people that a legal act isn't.

You gotta stop drinking that right wing hate filled koolaid. It's clearly affected your mental state.

[justme2012]

Only a cheap SOB would take a tax write off for donating his old clothes.

But then, that is the only "charity" he donated to the whole year so I guess his old underwear is better than nothing for the poor beggars in his town.

[wordpros]

Oh, I get it now; when you don't have a real audience for your books & DVD's, you create a "charity" to boost your sales AND get to keep the profits. Tax free. Uh-huh. Plus you get to be called a "best selling author." Even though you bought your own books.

Let's hope the IRS reads the news and starts looking into more of these "best sellers" like "Three Cups of Tea" and "Going Rogue." What some of these politicians and PACs term "clever accounting," we taxpayers and the IRS may see as "tax evasion." How did these people's ethics get so incredibly corrupted (half a mil on revolving credit at Tiffany's)?

We need much more transparency in our political leaders. Looks like we're starting to get it.

[wdrussell1]

Newt represents Christian principles, wacko fundi style.

They should be paying taxes, because they gave up being Christians decades ago.

[johntate777]

How can he say Americans aren't interested when they haven't heard about his scam yet?!

[pasha128]

In this country each person is responsible for THEIR OWN actions and not even those of their family members. I find some of the most reprehensible people in this country repeatedly seek to excuse THEIR OWN actions based on actions of others. As a facilitator of that philosophy you, ALBrainTrust, are no better than those that claim "Mommy; he did it too" or Mommy; he did it first".

[Birdman04]

The guy was never a serious viable candidate and should go back in obscurity where he belongs. He is not even a long shot.

[ALBrainTrust13]

"Gingrich's presidential campaign has been dogged by defections and scandals since its very early days.

As CBSNews.com senior political reporter Brian Montopoli wrote following the first GOP presidential debate on Monday, Gingrich did nothing to improve his standing as a "serious long-shot for the nomination" with his televised performance."

SO IS THIS STORY ABOUT THE CHARITY PAYMENTS OR JUST AN ALL OUT ASSAULT ON GINGRICH'S CANDIDACY?

BTW....HOW IS THE BLAGO TRIAL GOING? WHAT'S UP WITH TONY RESKO?

[frankie2fing]

Vet you can not read or what? It's Alabama Brain Trust 13! Each week one of the 13 gets the brain, this week, it's HIS turn...

[san850]

@ALBrainRust.....if Newt wasn't such an untrustworthy, dishonest creep, then there would be no story to report. He needs to crawl back under his mossy rock where he can hide from the press if he doesn't want the truth to be told about him.