Fact Checking the NBC Debate in Tampa Bay, Florida

01.23.12

ROMNEY AND HIS ATTACKS DISCREDITED IN NBC DEBATE

Desperate to save his floundering campaign, Mitt Romney leveled numerous false charges during tonight's NBC Debate. We set the record straight below and also at www.newt.org/answers.

Romney's False Attack: Newt was a lobbyist for Freddie Mac.

The Truth: Newt has never engaged in lobbying, period. Newt made a decision after resigning that he would never be a lobbyist so that nobody would ever question the genuine nature of his advice and perspectives.

At no time did Gingrich lobby for Freddie Mac, or for any client, and neither did anyone in Gingrich’s firm. This prohibition against lobbying was made clear to all Gingrich Group clients. Nor did Gingrich ever advocate against pending legislation affecting Freddie Mac, as some articles have incorrectly alleged. In fact, recent reporting from Bloomberg News on the Gingrich Group’s consulting services for Freddie Mac confirms that Gingrich and his firm were not paid to lobby and that Gingrich never acted as an advocate to stop any legislation or regulation affecting Freddie Mac.

Furthermore, as the New York Times documents, Newt urged House Republicans to vote against the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. View Newt's Freddie Mac consulting contract here.

Romney's False Attack: Newt lobbied on behalf of Medicare Part D.

The Truth: Newt did not lobby on anyone’s behalf for the passage of the law. He advocated for Congressional passage of the prescription drug benefit as a public citizen, including in his book Saving Lives and Saving Money, written in 2002. He shared these views with all Republican House members when he was invited by Speaker Dennis Hastert to address the entire caucus during the Part D debate. What he said to them as a group is exactly what he wrote publicly in the Wall Street Journal on November 20, 2003.

It is possible for a citizen to forcefully express an opinion about a piece of legislation, including in a book and op-eds, and at the same time not be a lobbyist. That’s called democracy and it is what citizens do all the time.

Romney's False Attack: Newt was fined $300,000 for ethics violations.

The Truth: Eighty four politically motivated ethics charges were filed against Newt, but he IRS concluded that he did not violate any tax laws.

Eighty-three of the eighty-four charges were found to be without merit and dropped. The remaining charge had to do with contradictory documents prepared by Newt’s lawyer supplied during the course of the investigation. Newt took responsibility for the error and agreed to reimburse the committee the cost of the investigation into that discrepancy. In 1999, after a 3 ½ year investigation, the Internal Revenue Service (under President Bill Clinton, nonetheless) concluded that Gingrich did not violate any tax laws, leading renowned CNN Investigative Reporter Brooks Jackson to remark on air “it turns out [Gingrich] was right and those who accused him of tax fraud were wrong.”

Romney's False Attack: Newt supported cap and trade.

The Truth: Newt absolutely opposes “cap and trade” as well as any system of taxing carbon emissions. He testified before Congress against it in 2009 and led a grassroots effort while the Chairman of American Solutions to block its passage in the House and Senate.

Newt believes that cap and trade would kill hundreds of thousands of American jobs, cause electricity and fuel prices to skyrocket, and make America poorer. In contrast, Gingrich believes the best way to protect the environment is through markets, incentives, and entrepreneurs, who quite often are deploying innovative new technologies.

Romney’s False Attack: Newt resigned from his speakership in disgrace.

The Truth: Newt stepped down as Speaker in December 1998 after the disappointing election results for Republicans in the 1998 Congressional elections. Although the Republican House was reelected, Newt took responsibility for the unexpected Republican loss of five House seats. Newt supported the Republican nominee for Speaker and graciously agreed to coach him and help make his Speakership a success. After his final speech as Speaker before his fellow House Republican colleagues, Newt received a standing ovation from his colleagues.

Flashback to 2008: Romney will say anything to get elected: