A good piece in the New York Times today showcasing the subtle way in which Gingrich made himself rich playing the influence game on behalf of clients while steering clear of the technical definition of a lobbyist.
He was not registered as a lobbyist, but he did things lobbyists do. That is, he connected his high-paying clients to people in power and helped persuade government officials to support his clients’ agendas and advance their ideas into law.
Like everyone I’ve ever known in Washington who peddles their influence for money, Gingrich – through his lawyer – insists that all the positions he took were his own, and just happened to coincide with those of his clients.
Sure.
I don’t particularly care. Just don’t tell us that people were paying you tens of thousands of dollars a year to be the resident historian.
8 thoughts on “How Gingrich Played the Influence Game”
I’m not a fan of ol’Newt, but I’ll give him his chops for getting legislation moving and keeping his eye on the ball. Maybe a Prez who’s open to brainstorming with the other guys might be a good thing, because we do know that being aloof and uninvolved doesn’t work for us.
Sure…and the Washington Post has put out a call for any dirt anyone has on Newt….standby for heavy rolls Mr. Speaker!
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2011/11/28/washington-post-blogger-asks-dirt-about-newt-gingrich-twitter
Have a few of the novels Newt Gingrich wrote about America’s founding. The man is brilliant, and he truly loves America. My problem with him is that he is a Washington insider. Can he be trusted to reform the bureaucracy he had a part in building? I don’t know. I do know we have to have faith in somebody to step up to the plate and be the statesman we need at this time in history.
The next president will have to deal with America’s unraveling society and a world on fire. This election will be the most important in our lifetime, and I pray we make the right choice. The future of our children and our children’s children depends on us.
I just recommended them to a friend for his husband’s Christmas list. My husband has read every book he’s written (the historical fiction ones) and loves them. Newt has a huge understanding of history not found in many sitting congressmen or any of the current nominees. I hope that if he doesn’t get the nomination that he gets a position in the next cabinet at least.
This is one way people in Washington make money. To me it’s hardly remarkable–but he has been a little slippery about it.
Why does NO ONE in Washington speak “honestly”?
If I talked like a typical Washington ‘politican/lawyer/know-it-all/Media sycophant’ I would be in jail.
Why is it OK! for everyone in Washington DC to LIE! to everyone in the USA…?
Oh, people just lie all the time now–not just politicians–I am from the Middle West originally and always think Middle Westerners lie less. Why I think that I have no idea. I wrote about lying in Ad Age 30 yrs ago–and it’s getting worse. I know people who routinely lie even when the truth would be fine.
Isn’t a “good piece in the NYT’s” an oxymoron?
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