House Reprimands, Penalizes Speaker (Flashback)

WaPo ^ | Jan.22, 1997 | John E. Yang

[fightinJAG]

The House voted overwhelmingly yesterday 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.

The ethics case and its resolution leave Gingrich with little leeway for future personal controversies, House Republicans said. Exactly one month before yesterday's vote, 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.

"Newt has done some things that have embarrassed House Republicans and embarrassed the House," said Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.). "If [the voters] see more of that, they will question our judgment."

[snip]

The 395 to 28 vote closes a tumultuous chapter that began Sept. 7, 1994, when former representative Ben Jones (D-Ga.), then running against Gingrich, filed an ethics complaint against the then-GOP whip. . . .

[snip]

House ethics committee members took pride in yesterday's bipartisan resolution of the case. "We have proved to the American people that no matter how rough the process is, we can police ourselves, we do know right from wrong," said Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-Fla.), who headed the investigative subcommittee that charged Gingrich.

[snip]

For Gingrich, it was another humbling event in a remarkable series of peaks and valleys since 1994.

[snip]

In a strongly worded report, special counsel James M. Cole concluded that Gingrich had violated tax law and lied to the investigating panel, but the subcommittee would not go that far. In exchange for the subcommittee agreeing to modify the charges against him, Gingrich agreed to the penalty Dec. 20 as part of a deal in which he admitted guilt.

[fightinJAG]

For those who don’t know, Republicans strongly supported action against Gingrich by the House Ethics Committee.

[jimfree]

And for others who don’t know, Gingrich committed no crime or rules violation.

[moovova]

Jan.22, 1997

Old news...yawn...

[fightinJAG]

Many House Republicans said they had trouble reconciling their leaders' characterization of Gingrich's rules violations as tantamount to a jaywalking ticket and the magnitude of the penalty. "That argument loses its steam [when] you talk about $300,000," said Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) said that had he known what was in the ethics committee's report, he would not have voted for Gingrich as speaker. "The gray got grayer when you read the report," he said. "When I think of my three boys and what kind of example I want to set for them for leadership in this country, gray is not the example."

[fightinJAG]

Anyone who think Gingrich is going to get the Republican caucus unified under his leadership is dreaming.

He is still hated and mistrusted by many who have personal experience working with him.

That number will grow as more in the party try to work with him if he’s elected.

[BunnySlippers]

Newt is NOT for today. Not now.

[Jim Robinson]

Gingrich aligned himself with Ronald Reagan. In congress, led the Republican Revolution taking the Republican majority for the first time in 40 years. As Speaker passed the Contract with America, cut taxes, decreased the deficit, balanced the federal budget, blocked HillaryCare, reformed welfare, fought Clinton tooth and nail. A determined aggressive man with these ambitions and accomplishments makes many political enemies along the way. Someones ox always gets gored. Toes get stepped on. Partisan bickering, sniping and ethics charges break out. Nothing came of any of it.

[Jim Robinson]

At least Newt did support Ronald Reagan and the Reagan Revolution. He did build a successful Republican majority. He did cut taxes, did reduce the deficit, did balance the budget, did block HillaryCare, did reform welfare, did allow us to reap the whirlwind of the Reagan economy.

Romney saddled Massachusetts with budget busting RomneyCare, taxpayer funded "safe and legal" abortion, gay marriage, leftist judges and a completely destroyed Republican label. And RomneyCare did become the model and impetus for ObamaCare.

Not to mention the fact that Newt has the support of the Republican conservative base and the grassroots tea party supporters:

Romney has the support of the establishment elite and shares the moderate/liberal RINO vote:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/151355/Gingrich-Romney-Among-GOP-Voters-Nationwide.aspx

Who you gonna call?

[Hoodat]

I can’t believe this is even happening. This is McCain 2008 or Dole 1996 all over again. Going up against Newt, I can’t wait to see the MSM fawning over Obama as the family values candidate.

[Hoodat]

And for others who don’t know, Gingrich committed no crime or rules violation.

Yeah, sure he didn't. That's why he resigned.

[ez]

Holy crap, what a bunch of small potatoes. Hell, Obama got half his cash last time from overseas. They went after Newt hard with 85 alleged violations and 84 were bullshit and 1 led to a reprimand. Hell, clinton was censured and the Dems would him back in in a heartbeat. You’re bailing out a rowboat with a dixie cup, my FRiend.

[TwoSwords]

For those who don’t know politicians are sanctioned crooks. The trick is to find the one with more integrity than the other one. We know what they are and accept it, to some extent. This has always been the case. If you consider this example some litmus case on Gingrich then you’re naive. The msm lays on conservatives and covers for liberals. This article reads like the absurd. And the actual issue was absurd. Hard to believe you were a JAG.

[secondamendmentkid]

“Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) said that had he known what was in the ethics committee’s report, he would not have voted for Gingrich as speaker. “The gray got grayer when you read the report,” he said. “When I think of my three boys and what kind of example I want to set for them for leadership in this country, gray is not the example.”

Wow, is that the pot calling the kettle black or not. The recently discredited governor with his South American lover. I’m sure if the SC voters would have known he was a philanderer, they wouldn’t have voted for him as governor. Unfortunately all of the idiots are not in the DimCrap party.

However, don’t misinterpret this as a defense of Newt, who may well be ne(u)wtered before all this race is over.

[BunnySlippers]

Well, I;m hoping we get behind Perry.

I know this doesn’t t help. Or mebbe it does ...

[donna]

For those who don’t know, Newt exposed House Speaker Jim Wright (D) and Wright was forced out:

In 1988 Wright became the target of an inquiry by the House Ethics Committee. Their report in early 1989 implied that he had used bulk purchases of his book, ‘Reflections of a Public Man’, to earn speaking fees in excess of the allowed maximum, and that his wife, Betty, was given a job and perks to avoid the limit on gifts.

Faced with an increasing loss of effectiveness, Wright tendered his resignation as Speaker on May 31, 1989, the resignation to become effective on the selection of a successor. He was the first Speaker to resign because of a scandal.

Democrats had held for 40 years (1954). When Newt became Speaker (1994) the Democrats wanted revenge and they got it.

We are all guilty of breaking some federal regulation - it’s just a matter of who wants to enforce it and why.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Call this Gingrich’s Revenge.

[KalaSamy]

THE IRS FOUND HIM TO BE INNOCENT OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM ... HE VIOLATED NO LAWS!!!! If you’re going to pontificate, at least get your facts straight!

[moovova]

Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) said..."When I think of my three boys and what kind of example I want to set..."

Oh look! There's ex-Rep Sanford now on a beach in Argentina, with his mistress! Let's ask him what shade of gray he prefers..."

[Confab]

Curiously you didn’t mention the other 84 bogus charges that were filed against Newt & subsequently dropped. He was Palinized before there was such a term. You also failed to mention the IRS cleared him of all charges after his departure.

The dems have been famous for these tactics for years. Have you denounced these tactics........except for ONE instance against Newt? They were wrong all the other times against Newt & MANY others except this once? Do you really not see the pattern?

And what was his unpardonable crime? Teaching a course? C’mon dude.