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Newt on the take

How exactly is it that anybody takes Newt Gingrich seriously? At least morally? Bloomberg reports that he was paid $1.6 million as a professional escort consultant to Freddie Mac. Trouble is, Newt didn’t stay bought: Since his retainer with Freddie Mac ended in 2008, Gingrich has become a critic of the government-sponsored enterprises, which were […]

How exactly is it that anybody takes Newt Gingrich seriously? At least morally? Bloomberg reports that he was paid $1.6 million as a professional escort consultant to Freddie Mac. Trouble is, Newt didn’t stay bought:

Since his retainer with Freddie Mac ended in 2008, Gingrich has become a critic of the government-sponsored enterprises, which were pushed into insolvency by subprime mortgages.

The two companies, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, “are so thoroughly politicized and preside over such irresponsible lending policies that they need to be replaced with smaller, private companies operating without government guarantees, whose leaders focus on making a profit, not manipulating politicians,” Gingrich wrote in his 2011 book, “To Save America.”

In an Oct. 11 Republican presidential debate, he said Democrats and the housing-loan practices led to the industry’s collapse.

“You ought to start with Barney Frank,” when talking about people to put in jail, Gingrich said, referring to the Massachusetts congressman who’s the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. “Go back and look at the lobbyists he was close to at Freddie Mac,” Gingrich said in the debate, sponsored by Bloomberg News and the Washington Post.

How does this mouthy windbag still have a political career? Come on, Tea Party, y’all keep turning to these clowns for your Anti-Romney. What about Buddy Roemer?

On Newt, Jennifer Rubin is scathing:

Indeed, it is Gingrich’s ability to convince himself of his own self-righteousness while behaving in disreputable ways that has always been his downfall. Asked earlier this year why he committed adultery in the midst of the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal, Gingrich infamously replied, “There’s no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.” The noblest of excuses for the seediest conduct.

And likewise, Gingrich likely believes his “strategic” advice for more than a million dollars was something other than it was, the widespread game of engaging influential Democrats and Republicans to keep them from lobbying against Freddie Mac and fellow mortgage guarantor Fannie Mae.

UPDATE: Did you know that Freddie Mac asked for $6 billion more in bailout money from the taxpayer two weeks ago, moving the total up to $72 billion? Thanks, Newt, for all you helped do for America.

UPDATE.2: Stephen Colbert defends Newt’s Greek islands booze cruise. And his Tiffany’s tab. And his serial adultery (“That … was not gay!”). Hilarious stuff.

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