Gingrich hints he may release details on Freddie Mac payments today

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich

/ CBS

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said Thursday that he's trying to figure out how much money he made from controversial housing giant Freddie Mac and suggested he may release the information as early as Friday.

Gingrich's comments, in an interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, represent the latest shift in his campaign's response to a Bloomberg News story earlier this week that said the former House speaker made as much as $1.6 million from Freddie. Initially, the Gingrich campaign promised to release details about the payment, then appeared to back off that pledge.

Freddie Mac and its sister quasi-governmental agency, Fannie Mae, are under scrutiny for mortgage lending practices that are believed to have led to an inflation of the housing bubble.

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Adding to the controversy: the millions that both agencies spent hiring heavyweight Washington insiders to lobby Congress.

Gingrich insists he never lobbied.

On Fox, Gingrich said he is "not sure the exact amount" he was paid but did not dispute reports that he got upwards of $1.6 million. The payments were made "over a number of years," Gingrich said. "I think it started in 1999 and ran up to, I think, 2007 or eight."

Meanwhile, the Washington Post is reporting that another arm of Gingrich's business empire collected as much as $37 million from health industry players over the past eight years.

[kbbpll]

$200k a year and he can't remember the details. Must be nice. If someone was paying me $200k a year for "generic advice" I'd remember it exactly. This guy just oozes honesty and integrity.

[vet97]

This guy is a piece or work...on one hand he's trying to prop Fannie up with his "historical advice" and on the other hand he's bashing them left and right! They would love this guy on Broadway...he can dance to any tune! "Gingrich's business empire collected as much as $37 million from health industry players over the past eight years" has me very concerned. Now I know how he carried a $500,000 credit line at Tiffany's. The health industry has this guy. Newt has loser written all over him! Time for the Republicans to pull another hat out of their grab bag! (can we count the number of "pretenders"...Palin, Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, Santorum, Romney and Paul).

[OrangPuteh]

What do you expect beyond Palin, Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, Santorum, Huntsman, Romney and Paul?

Ted Bundy and Charlie Manson are unavailable.

Republicans are doing the best they know how.

[cheeksforus]

I don't think he did anything wrong but use the system all of them have rigged to their benifit. Our congress needs to be fixed and we all just sit here and watch as they rob us blind, I'm getting sick of them.

[nor-one]

When you have theives writing the laws don't be surprized when you find that stealing is legal! If corporations are "people" shouldn't a few of them be in jail? Roberts got to the supremo's as a payoff from Bush for helping to steal the election. I guess you have to admire him for staying bought.

[retiredgustav]

I am shocked. I thought Newt would have lasted atleast until January before he started his meltdown. Who is the next flavor of the month Ron Paul?

[OrangPuteh]

Jan. 22, 1997
The House on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to reprimand House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and order him to pay an unprecedented $300,000 penalty, the first time in the House's 208-year history it has disciplined a Speaker for ethical wrongdoing.
____________________________________
Examination of Newt Gingrich's actions identifies him as a narcissistic sociopath.

Newt Gingrich does not know right from wrong.

[starving1968-3]

by RobAla November 18, 2011 8:08 AM EST
This is not a story. So what if Freddie Mac paid Gingrich a lot of money over 8 years for offering consulting work? Freddie Mac since that time has taken $billions in public bailout money, and is handing out huge bonuses to it's own executives, and now wants the government to give it more taxpayer supplied money because it is going broke.

The problem is Freddie Mac, not Gingrich. Freddie Mac decided not to take the advice Gingrich offered - in light of Freddie Mac's mismanagement, maybe they should have. In either case, Gingrich provided a consulting service over several years and was paid for it. What is the problem? If Freddie Mac mis-spent money, it entirely the fault of Freddie Mac.






Where is your proof that Freddie ignored his advice?



Maybe the problem is that Freddie DID listen to the advice that fatboy gave them, and THAT is why they are going broke.

[nygal28]

He "may" release details after he figures out how to spin this one and still make it somewhat palatable.

[Jhihmoac]

He's cleanin' out his toybox so Santa will bring him more...

[RobAla]

This is not a story. So what if Freddie Mac paid Gingrich a lot of money over 8 years for offering consulting work? Freddie Mac since that time has taken $billions in public bailout money, and is handing out huge bonuses to it's own executives, and now wants the government to give it more taxpayer supplied money because it is going broke.

The problem is Freddie Mac, not Gingrich. Freddie Mac decided not to take the advice Gingrich offered - in light of Freddie Mac's mismanagement, maybe they should have. In either case, Gingrich provided a consulting service over several years and was paid for it. What is the problem? If Freddie Mac mis-spent money, it entirely the fault of Freddie Mac.

[RobAla]

ruffiannd: Actually, this was not a cut and paste. I must have done a good job typing this time. Thanks for the compliment.

[nygal28]

You sure are gullible.

[omnibus66]

Gingrich, greed, garbage, gasbag, all begin with G and all related. Future Republican debates should begin with the playing of Judy Collins' "Send in the Clowns".

[nygal28]

lol!!!