Fact Sheet: Newt Gingrich Ethics Investigation Vindication

[samspade]

In Mitt Romney’s desperation, he is misstating key facts about the ethics committee investigation against Newt Gingrich. In fact, Newt Gingrich was vindicated.
Key Facts.

• No tax violation. Eighty three out of eighty four politically motivated ethics charges filed against Newt when he was Speaker of the House were found to be without merit and dropped¹. The remaining charge had to do with contradictory documents prepared by Newt’s lawyer supplied during the course of the investigation. The Congress did NOT find that Newt misused tax-exempt funds².
• Not a fine. Newt took responsibility for the error and agreed to reimburse the committee the cost of the investigation into that discrepancy. The $300,000 payment was described as a “cost assessment”, NOT a “fine,” because Newt was not found to have personally benefited from any of the activities under investigation³

^Snip:
Romney campaign hypocritical. Newt Gingrich has released his taxes for 2010 and there has been a 1200 page report from the ethics committee investigation available to everyone online for the past 14 years⁶. In contrast, Mitt Romney deleted the hard drives and records of his governorship upon leaving office. It takes a lot of gall for Mitt Romney to insist on more transparency from Newt with his record of going to incredible lengths to hide his past⁷.

Illinois Review: Fact Sheet: Newt Gingrich Ethics Investigation Vindication

[Cam]

Until the FULL notes of the Ethics committee are shared with the public... I consider the single charge ADMITTED to and voted on by the REPUBLICAN controlled committeeto be a "plea bargain" to save both the party and Newt from further embarrassment.
Show us the full record and I'll happily rescind that opinion if the facts show otherwise.

[rabidfox]

Gingrich admitted that he brought discredit to the House and broke its rules by failing to ensure that financing for two projects would not violate federal tax law and by giving the House ethics committee false information. He broke rules and lied, then lied about it. Now he and his ilk are lying about it again.

[Cam]

+1 RF...and here's more detailed proof of your assertion:

"Files in Gingrich Case Detail Misstatements

By Charles R. Babcock and John E. Yang
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, January 19 1997; Page A01

In his final opportunity to defend his client Friday night before the House ethics committee, an attorney for Newt Gingrich conceded that the speaker had made "glaringly inconsistent" statements to the panel's investigative subcommittee about a politically oriented college course financed with tax-exempt funds.

The concession was among the most dramatic of any Gingrich representative. The speaker in December admitted to having provided inaccurate information to the ethics panel. The full ethics committee on Friday voted 7 to 1, just two hours after the comments by Gingrich attorney J. Randolph Evans, to recommend a $300,000 penalty and a formal reprimand of the Georgia Republican, concluding a week of partisan wrangling that convulsed the Capitol. The committee vote is likely to be followed by approval of the sanctions by the full House when it votes on the recommendation Tuesday.

The ethics panel's subcommittee originally accepted special counsel James M. Cole's proposal that Gingrich be charged with submitting information he "knew or should have known" was false. But in exchange for Gingrich admitting his guilt, the panel altered the charge, deleting the word "knew," in what amounted to a plea bargain. "....MORE>>>> Washingtonpost.com: Files in Gingrich Case Detail Misstatements

[rabidfox]

Excellent information, Cam! I think it is obvious this issue is not as "brush under the carpet" as Gingrich supporters hoped. Just because charges are dropped it does not immediately indicate innocence. They can't ignore the whole context of this one.

[RET423]

In Mitt Romney’s desperation, he is misstating key facts about the ethics committee investigation against Newt Gingrich. In fact, Newt Gingrich was vindicated.
Key Facts.

• No tax violation. Eighty three out of eighty four politically motivated ethics charges filed against Newt when he was Speaker of the House were found to be without merit and dropped¹. The remaining charge had to do with contradictory documents prepared by Newt’s lawyer supplied during the course of the investigation. The Congress did NOT find that Newt misused tax-exempt funds².
• Not a fine. Newt took responsibility for the error and agreed to reimburse the committee the cost of the investigation into that discrepancy. The $300,000 payment was described as a “cost assessment”, NOT a “fine,” because Newt was not found to have personally benefited from any of the activities under investigation³

^Snip:
Romney campaign hypocritical. Newt Gingrich has released his taxes for 2010 and there has been a 1200 page report from the ethics committee investigation available to everyone online for the past 14 years⁶. In contrast, Mitt Romney deleted the hard drives and records of his governorship upon leaving office. It takes a lot of gall for Mitt Romney to insist on more transparency from Newt with his record of going to incredible lengths to hide his past⁷.

Illinois Review: Fact Sheet: Newt Gingrich Ethics Investigation Vindication

And an independent tax court found him not guilty of the 84th charge a couple years later.

Meaning the only thing he did "wrong" was screw with the mutinous committee toward the end of the witch hunt. He admitted that was wrong but I would have made them dread every moment they questioned me under these circumstances and I would have sent these Traitors on as many wild goose chases as I could think of.

This entire band of RINO's knew from day one that they had absolutely nothing of substance against Gingrich and were only trying to turn up public pressure to get him out so they could go back on the take from lobbyist's and start spending more taxpayer money.

This entire event is a badge of honor for Gingrich, he fought the RINO's to the very end so nothing they did after his ouster can be connected to him in any way.

The 1998-2006 GOP House stands as a monument to what RINO's will do if given the purse strings and an example of just how far they will go to eradicate Conservatives from their midst. The RINO's own the current GOP reputation because they earned it, the witch hunt of Newt Gingrich in 1998 marked the beginning of the RINO stampede and it ended in disgrace as Nancy Pelosi took the gavel in 2006. Those RINO's left the GOP in shambles and with no credibility left as small government defenders of rugged individualism.

May their cheerleaders be cast into the pit of bankruptcy to dwell with the honest Americans that their agenda ruined.

[samspade]

And an independent tax court found him not guilty of the 84th charge a couple years later.

Meaning the only thing he did "wrong" was screw with the mutinous committee toward the end of the witch hunt. He admitted that was wrong but I would have made them dread every moment they questioned me under these circumstances and I would have sent these Traitors on as many wild goose chases as I could think of.

This entire band of RINO's knew from day one that they had absolutely nothing of substance against Gingrich and were only trying to turn up public pressure to get him out so they could go back on the take from lobbyist's and start spending more taxpayer money.

This entire event is a badge of honor for Gingrich, he fought the RINO's to the very end so nothing they did after his ouster can be connected to him in any way.

The 1998-2006 GOP House stands as a monument to what RINO's will due if given the purse strings and an example of just how far they will go to eradicate Conservatives from their midst. The RINO's own the current GOP reputation because they earned it, the witch hunt of Newt Gingrich in 1998 marked the beginning of the RINO stampede and it ended in disgrace as Nancy Pelosi took the gavel in 2006. Those RINO's left the GOP in shambles and with no credibility left as small government defenders of rugged individualism.

May their cheerleaders be cast into the pit of bankruptcy to dwell with the honest Americans that their agenda ruined.

It as been plain to see that although information has been provided about Gingrich those in the bag for Rommey Will not read it. You have posted it, I have posted it, and others have talked about it and it falls on deaf ears.

Meanwhile the Rommites are telling us his record is consistent if that means flipfloping then it is. No mention of destroying computer and other records when leaving the Governorship.

I hear about his great family life but I heard the same from John Edwards; so who knows.

Tomorrow I will see if Rommey releases his tax records. I do see Rommey has unleashed another blistering attack on Gingrich.

New Romney Florida ad: You don’t really want to nominate a disgraced Freddie Mac shill, do you? « Hot Air

[Cam]

They've been released. He gave as much to charity as he paid in taxes. You can google it.

[samspade]

Ann Romney, for example, recently held interests in 18 funds run by Bain Capital; several of those holdings were valued at more than $1 million each.

Romney Paid $3 Million Tax Bill in 2010 - WSJ.com

Looks like he still interacts with Bain Capital.

There was also a question about some of it that the IRS could flag.

The Romneys filed five forms in 2010 disclosing transactions relating to investment funds that could raise red flags with the IRS. The government requires taxpayers to report some transactions that have characteristics that might suggest the use of tax shelters, such as generation of a large loss. Not all transactions reported under this requirement are tax shelters

[JStang]

And an independent tax court found him not guilty of the 84th charge a couple years later.

Meaning the only thing he did "wrong" was screw with the mutinous committee toward the end of the witch hunt. He admitted that was wrong but I would have made them dread every moment they questioned me under these circumstances and I would have sent these Traitors on as many wild goose chases as I could think of.

This entire band of RINO's knew from day one that they had absolutely nothing of substance against Gingrich and were only trying to turn up public pressure to get him out so they could go back on the take from lobbyist's and start spending more taxpayer money.

This entire event is a badge of honor for Gingrich, he fought the RINO's to the very end so nothing they did after his ouster can be connected to him in any way.

The 1998-2006 GOP House stands as a monument to what RINO's will do if given the purse strings and an example of just how far they will go to eradicate Conservatives from their midst. The RINO's own the current GOP reputation because they earned it, the witch hunt of Newt Gingrich in 1998 marked the beginning of the RINO stampede and it ended in disgrace as Nancy Pelosi took the gavel in 2006. Those RINO's left the GOP in shambles and with no credibility left as small government defenders of rugged individualism.

May their cheerleaders be cast into the pit of bankruptcy to dwell with the honest Americans that their agenda ruined.

Nice. That about sums it all up.
Time for Rinos to break out the shovels and try digging some more.