Newt Gingrich $4 Million in Debt; Staffers and Creditors Fume

Yahoo News ^ | 2 May, 2012 | JOEL SIEGEL

[Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage]

Newt Gingrich ends his White House dream today with his political committee facing a mountain of debts -- owing about $4 million to scores of businesses and campaign workers around the country who fear they will never get paid.

Campaign watchdogs said the size of Gingrich's debt is extraordinary -- and could have been avoided if the candidate and his team had been more disciplined.

"He was reckless in running up these bills, especially in the last month or so of the campaign when it was quite clear that Mitt Romney would be the nominee," said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for the watchdog group Citizen Union.

[wyowolf]

“He was reckless in running up these bills, especially in the last month or so of the campaign when it was quite clear that Mitt Romney would be the nominee,”

LOL... suckers...

[Clara Lou]

This is the thing about Gingrich that began to worry me a while back. The man has no money-sense whatsoever. Gifted, but flawed.

[Lazlo in PA]

Help may be on the way. USA Today reports that Gingrich, in an interview, said he is embracing Mitt Romney's candidacy, and Romney and the Republican National Committee have offered to be helpful in retiring Gingrich's debt.

So we now know what an endorsement goes for, if anyone was curious.

[Husker]

I’ve never understood why staffers become so upset about not getting paid. This happens in every campaign that fails and many times in campaigns that are successful.

Every campaign I’ve worked on, I’ve believed in the candidate and figured it was volunteer work where I may get a check.

[Roccus]

ALL politicians excel at spending other peoples' money, even before they get it.

[LetsRok]

“This is the thing about Gingrich that began to worry me a while back. The man has no money-sense whatsoever. Gifted, but flawed.”

That is like blaming George Clooney when a movie he is starring in goes over budget.

[muawiyah]

Worry about Gingrich’s money sense all you want ~ he’s rich ~ but this Hollman guy is the very face of modern Fascism. He doesn’t want you to be able to get together with others and campaign ~ see: http://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=2583

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don’t think the Clintons have paid off their campaign debts yet.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

You are wrong that Newt has “No Money Sense”. His money senses are fine. He will stiff a lot of people, but overall, you can bet that Newt lined his pockets on this campaign (See Expenses) and set himself up for future speaking fes and books. He will probably get Romney to pay down some of the debt, but be assured, Newt will come out just fine personally even if at the expense of others. That’s why he got in the race, and that is who Newt is. Hope his current wife dooesn’t get sick if you get my drift.

[MagnoliaB]

Taxpayer’s money, our money, is like crack to these people. They are like out of control drug addicts.

[LetsRok]

“I’ve never understood why staffers become so upset about not getting paid. This happens in every campaign that fails and many times in campaigns that are successful.

Every campaign I’ve worked on, I’ve believed in the candidate and figured it was volunteer work where I may get a check.”

This tells me that many of these campaign workers were in it for the wrong reason. Unless they have an employment contract, they should just go back to their day jobs.

[Sacajaweau]

You know damn well he’s good for it. This is just another bash Newt article.

[detective]

There is a flaw of character that encourages Newt to not honor his obligations to his campaign workers and his creditors. It is the same flaw that caused Newt to sit on a love seat with Nancy Pelosi and make TV commercials for Al Gore's global warming scam, to work with Sharpton to get taxpayer money for black racists and con men and to “lobby for” more money for Freddie Mac at a time when it was recklessly facilitating the stealing taxpayer money.

I don't think Newt is a principled conservative. I think he is an opportunist who realized sounding like a conservative would help his campaign.

I admire many of the things Newt did in the 1990’s when he was Speaker of the House. But today he is just another Washington insider who has learned how to play the system.

[Sacajaweau]

Shhhhhh....I’m sure Obama paid them off.

[allmendream]

Gingrich is not a pampered Hollywood star hired to play a role by the people actually in charge.

Gingrich hired the staff and set the agenda that required spending lots of money. Gingrich decided to stay in the race long after it was obvious he was not going to be the nominee.

Ever hear the expression “the buck stops here”?

Maybe a former legislator like Gingrich lacks the executive experience to put together a competent team - but that doesn’t mean he is not responsible for the executive decisions he made (or failed to make, or delegated) during his own campaign.

[paul51]

accounting and budgets don't matter when it's other peoples money. All politicians know that.

[cripplecreek]

Effective money usage is something I look for in a conservative candidate.

In my opinion, Mitt Romney isn’t at all encouraging considering how much money he spent for ties and 1 or 2 percent wins. He easily spent 10 times as much money as Santorum in Michigan but still only pulled off a tie.

[ScottinVA]

Any FReepers still think Newt has a chance at the convention?

[silverleaf]

It’s Santorum’s fault...

sarc