Newt Gingrich’s financial team abandons him, campaign debt put at $1 million
Just updated by Shannon McCaffrey of the Associated Press:
Newt Gingrich’s top two fundraising advisers resigned on Tuesday, and officials said the Republican candidate’s hobbling presidential campaign carried more than $1 million in debt.
The departures of fundraising director Jody Thomas and fundraising consultant Mary Heitman were the latest blow for the former House speaker who watched 16 top advisers abandon his campaign en masse earlier this month, partly because of what people familiar with the campaign spending described as a dire financial situation.
These people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the campaign inner workings, said the former Georgia lawmaker racked up massive travel bills but money had only trickled in since he got into the race earlier this spring.
These officials said that he is at least $1 million in debt. The current fundraising quarter ends June 30, and Gingrich will have to disclose his campaign finances by July 15. He is personally wealthy and could fund his campaign out of his own pocket, at least in the short term, to keep his campaign afloat.
Gingrich has insisted that he will not abandon his troubled bid and will continue fighting for the Republican nomination for president “no matter what it takes.” He’s revamping his campaign, given the series of departures.
“Newt 2012 continues its reorganization and alignment as a grassroots driven, substantive, solutions-oriented campaign,” a spokesman, R.C. Hammond, told The Associated Press, adding that the campaign is “as committed as ever.”
He said aides and volunteers continue to raise money, despite the absences of Thomas and Heitman. Hammond refused to discuss details of the financial situation.
Heitman, a former fundraiser with the Republican National Committee, declined to comment. Thomas did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Underscoring the financial difficulties he faces, Gingrich has traded in private jets for commercial flights; on Tuesday, he was traveling commercially from Washington for an appearance in Savannah.
Gingrich is to speak tomorrow morning in Atlanta. In a press released issued today, the campaign declared that their candidate would blister the Federal Reserve. For Gingrich, the topic isn’t necessarily new.
Gingrich raised the topic last week, in a friendly interview with Neal Boortz on AM750 and 95.5FM News/Talk WSB. But the emphasis is new, and Conor Friedersdorf of The Atlantic thinks that Gingrich is attempt to muscle in on Ron Paul’s cash operation:
”It sure seems as if the former speaker of the House is making a play for a subset of voters known for dropping money bombs on candidates without a lot of campaign staff.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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71 comments Add your comment
Bob
June 21st, 2011
12:51 pm
No surprize…no need to throw money away.
Centrist
June 21st, 2011
1:03 pm
Back to a discussion which somebody might care about -
IMO Obama will be re-elected, but by a smaller margin. I think that because the media is solidly behind Obama, and an incumbent has a money advantage and a lot of strings to pull the last few months before an election. 8% is a very large swing.
But here are 10 Reasons (according to a pundit) Obama is a one-term president:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=44311
G5
June 21st, 2011
1:15 pm
@Centrist, are you serious? The media is solidly behind President Obama. Which media are we talking about? The media I see spends more time on the dysfunctional GOP field then they do the president. Besides, have you heard of Faux News. I would like you to tell them they are behind President Obama.
And he will get a second term because the GOP is so greedy and so concerned with giving tax cuts to the rich while screwing everybody else, that enough, just enough people will see through it and vote him back because the alternative would be devastating.
Mitzymy
June 21st, 2011
1:16 pm
Newt is reaching for straws. He should drop his campaign and help someone else. He is an old white man with more than a million dollars and there are millions of those.. If he helps someone else he might be a vice president candidate. Obama will not be a one term president and I wish Michele Bachman would stop saying that. She will not be on the ballet for president. She is misinformed and goofy.
Oh Intown Writer...
June 21st, 2011
1:16 pm
can’t manage a campaign but can manage the Fed?
things that make you go “hmmmm”
Mitzymy
June 21st, 2011
1:19 pm
I’ll bet Newt spent a million dollars on that 2 week cruise to The Greek Islands, when he should have been managing his staff, and campaigning..
Darwin
June 21st, 2011
1:21 pm
I hope you’re right G5. Just enough peoople is right. So many people are disconnected from reality that they vote without any idea of the results. The right wing want to dismantle every social program in this country. What’s scary are the eldery who vote for these people thinking they’ll never touch my sacred program. That day will come.
Falcons Josh
June 21st, 2011
1:25 pm
Watch out Newt’s wife # 3…. His love of country might have him in the sack with another woman any day now with all this bad news.
Edward
June 21st, 2011
1:25 pm
Newt is wasting his and our time. He is a has been. His morals aren’t up to par either.
GO AWAY NEWT.
BS Aplenty
June 21st, 2011
1:27 pm
Whether or not Obama is in the White House come January 2013 will depend on how the economy is performing. High and persistent unemployment, anemic GDP growth, extraordinarily high deficit spending, high debt/GDP levels leading some rating agencies to liken the U.S. to Greece, and a president who failure to understand how markets work seems to reach for a spending bill as his solution to every problem, all lead even the most ardent Obama sycophants (and you’re a big one, Jim!!) to question which of the many Repubs will take his place.
Romney’s business background will stand him well if the economy and deficit spending remain troubling, Pawlenty (a distant cousin of the Aplenty clan, I think) is exercising some credible leadership chops and who knows what Rick Perry may bring to table what with Texas just about to create more jobs than the rest of the country combined.
See you in November 2012.
Centrist
June 21st, 2011
1:28 pm
G5 – Yes, the media is solidly behind Obama. There is no competition for the Democratic nomination and almost a dozen vying for the Republican nomination. That all changes next year.
Fox news and the Wall Street Journal are the only outlets I know of that lean Republican. ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, CNBC, AP, Time, Newsweek, and every big city newspaper are very biased pro Democratic party/Obama.
Wise Old One
June 21st, 2011
1:32 pm
Obama will win. But by a smaller margin. 52 to 48.
Anyone who votes for any of the current Republicans has a) an insider deal going b) memory loss c) self hatred d) problems dealing with bad habits
big Hat
June 21st, 2011
1:33 pm
A new horror movie is being made here in GA: “Night Of The Living Newts” ….zombies who are dead as doornails but just don’t have the common courtesy to lie down.
RIGHTISWRONG
June 21st, 2011
1:34 pm
You can’t even manage your own staff Newt. How are you supposed to run a country?
Yet, some of you will STILL vote for him if he reaches the ballet! Wow!
That’s almost as crazy as someone voting a crook into the Governor’s office and expecting him to change. It is no wonder to me and every other sane person that Deal and Newt are best friends…
lol
What a joke of a party the GOP is. Full of rich, old, mean, white folks, with uninformed poor, racist, white folks in because they think the GOP has their best interest at heart. Truth is, if you are not white and rich they don’t give a damn about you. Wake up and stop being dumb. Jeez, the GOP is just awful…
The Anti-Gnostic
June 21st, 2011
1:45 pm
“What a joke of a party the GOP is. Full of rich, old, mean, white folks, with uninformed poor, racist, white folks in because they think the GOP has their best interest at heart. Truth is, if you are not white and rich they don’t give a damn about you.”
LOL. You think the Democrats care about poor black and brown people? You know what rich, black Democrats do when they get rich? Find a bunch of white people to live around.
Last Man Standing
June 21st, 2011
1:49 pm
Obama loses in 2012. He now owns the economy, unemployment and the inflation rate. I can see no way that he can win given his failed stimulus program, high unemployment and the infusion of “play money” into the economy. Anyone who votes for Obama is a) an insider looking for a deal, b) has short-term memory loss, and/or c) looking for a handout.
Ned Puddleman
June 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
Newt is no Ron Paul and the people that support Ron Paul hate Newt.
Truth
June 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
Darwin…you’re probably one of those that sit back on your assets and let hard working folks pay extra taxes just so you can draw your medicaid. I don’t mind helping those that truely need it, maybe phyiscal or mental handicap. Problem, too many heatlhy, lazy people sit back with their hands open and say give me….I won’t my fair share. Lazy people don’t deserve any hand outs and neither do all the illigals. Cut all these bums off and we would have enough tax money to support those truely in need. I for one am tired of paying for al the bums.
Scott
June 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
How can this guy manage to run our country if he can’t even manage to run his own campaign to get elected??? Stupid!
deegee
June 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
Doesn’t Denise Deal have a fundraising business? Didn’t Denise earn upwards of $60K after doing such a good job of fundraising for her daddy in law? Sounds like a perfect job for Denise Deal.
Charles
June 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
Somebody needs to tell The Fig Newton that’s IT’S OVER !!!!!
DarkBrown
June 21st, 2011
2:00 pm
“You know what rich, black Democrats do when they get rich?”
Become Republicans.
Ultra Violet
June 21st, 2011
2:04 pm
I just love to see Newt Gingrich get pummeled. After the hack job he perpetrated on a very effective President Clinton and the sheer hypocrisy of it all, it’s a pleasure seeing him being eaten by his own.
I just hope the man’s vanity and ego keep him in the race for as long as his credit cards hold up. It would be wonderful to see him as a broken, penniless and lonely man. All’s fair in adultery and politics, Newt!
JoeyTx
June 21st, 2011
2:09 pm
Funny some people think that having a good business background is a good credential for being the POTUS. While it does not hurt, it is jus as irrelevant. This is politics where you have to be very skilled at negotiating with people who are adamant not to let you succeed no matter what. In business when people don’t follow your direction, you fire them. Unfortunately in our politics the POTUS has to wait for congress to act. Especially tough when that congress is playing politics at the expense of the American people.
AlphaDog
June 21st, 2011
2:26 pm
I’m no Gingrich fan but he does bring a certain calm, calculating level-headedness to the political debate. He speaks a version of the truth his Republican cohorts don’t want to hear, until the general election when the nominee has to run as fast as possible back to the middle from the extreme right that gets them nominated. Given his history its almost comical to think Newt is the best thinker of the bunch.
Bootnewt
June 21st, 2011
2:27 pm
Yep. He can lecture us on how to handle our fiscal crisis until his inflated head explodes; all the while, he can’t handle his own campaign finances. Newt 2012!!
Jay
June 21st, 2011
2:30 pm
You know what rich, black Democrats do when they get rich?”
Become Republicans
Its not because they believe in Republicans values its because they get a tax break, just like any other rich person.
amit
June 21st, 2011
2:31 pm
Obama in 2012! OBAMA WIN GEORGIA IN 2012!!!!!!!
well'swell
June 21st, 2011
2:31 pm
Yeah…Oprah is a Republican, so I guess I have to agree with ya there @Anti-Dark **snicker** . I could not WAIT until I broke the 6 figure mark so I could become one…or all of my friends and colleagues who are upper middle class Blacks like I **spew**. Don’t believe the hype. While we accomplished Blacks may live by what some would call ” conservative principles” (truth of the matter is, no political party owns morality, innovation, fiscal responsibility, etc. It comes from within), we haven’t made it to where we are by being stupid. We see clearly what the modern day GOP is really all about. You truly mostly only have the Clarence “Uncle” Thomas and Herman Cain types in your party. Might be different if the party wasn’t so blatantly racist on such a large scale. True statements.
Brian
June 21st, 2011
2:33 pm
Any $ that’s contributed to the Gingrich campaign at this point will probably go toward paying down Charisma’s Tiffanys bill.
Tom
June 21st, 2011
2:36 pm
@ Centrist –
No question the media is behind Obama. Fox news clearly leans right (some of the news reporters themselves seem to be more balanced though) — However, the main stream media, CNN, MSNBC, etc … lapup Obama’s policies and actions like a puppy dog.
For a Rep to win they’ll have to win the independents — both reps and dems will vote for their respective candidate regardless …. with the media solidly in Obama’s camp and with, thus far, many of the repubs having difficulty raising $$, Obama has some huge advantages. One huge disadvantage is that Obama now has a record and a struggling economy. ….
Am still deciding which of the Repubs that I like best …. Newt’s a smart guy but clearly has way too much baggage and, imo, has little chance to win the nomination given his huge early mistakes. All are better (save maybe Ron Paul who’s a few cards short of a full deck) than the current occupant of the White House.
Sad that this is the best we’ve got — on both sides.
Steve
June 21st, 2011
2:37 pm
G5, you are seriously deranged. Just because the media is spending more time on the Republican candidates doesn’t mean they are not solidly behind Obama.
In fact, they are purposely avoiding any negative publicity for Obama by focusing on the Republican candidates and purposely trying to drag each and every one of them through the dirt.
Oh, and Economics 101 lesson for you that even a Liberal Arts University knows better than to deny. If you give tax breaks to companies, more money flows into the mainstream public. It could be in the form of more jobs, higher raises, more money for shareholders, etc. All that money goes into public spending at some level. As for the Liberals and their taxing big companies, it is well known that the last hike on big companies introduced by the Liberals caused a major slowdown in hiring (no, it didn’t cause the recession as some Conservatives try to argue).
You tax big companies and it hurts the general public far more than it hurts the big companies. Until you learn that basic concept of economics you really shoudl stay out of making political commentary.
reluctanthero
June 21st, 2011
2:41 pm
from JoeyTx: “This is politics where you have to be very skilled at negotiating with people who are adamant not to let you succeed no matter what.” And that’s different from negotiating with customers, contracts with new customers, suppliers, etc. HOW? More from JoeyTx: ” In business when people don’t follow your direction, you fire them.” Nope – you can’t fire customers, and you wouldn’t view your employees in this way, or you’d not have ONE employee. You maximize profit, allocate resources, and grow the business – ALL great skills for a President. JoeyTx, I’m afraid that you have revealed yourself to be the unambitious, “hate the boss” long-term member of the proletariat (look it up) that your post confirms. Wow.
bf
June 21st, 2011
2:42 pm
Newt = OPM (Other’s People’s Money) for personal wealth in the interest of some conservative PAC….yea right.
Give me a break
June 21st, 2011
2:43 pm
Gingrich is getting what he deserves I can’t believe there are still people supporting him.
The Anti-Gnostic
June 21st, 2011
2:56 pm
“Might be different if the party wasn’t so blatantly racist on such a large scale. True statements.”
What exactly do you find so “blatantly racist” about the Republican party? Specifics, please.
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
June 21st, 2011
3:04 pm
The Rockefellers’ backing Obama will make him a two-termer unless a reformed, foundational, true whig party comes together to “cast the [Roman Anti-Christ's Fifth Column, 9/11-committing] Beast into the Pit,” and clean out Congress and Washington.
George W. Carver
June 21st, 2011
3:19 pm
@Well~Swell, I guess blacks feel more accepted by conversative society once they earn a few dollars, until they become like OJ or MJ..Then they all turn their back on you..Then and only then will they understand they truth about the GOP..
tim
June 21st, 2011
3:21 pm
DON’T EVER let a politican own you money. You will never be repaid!
George W. Carver
June 21st, 2011
3:21 pm
Gingrich reminds voters of what they do not want to go back too..He’s bad for the GOP.
Charles Barkley
June 21st, 2011
3:25 pm
I would like to announce that I am running for President. Obama is Turrible! C’mon MAN!
George W. Carver
June 21st, 2011
3:33 pm
LOL@Jay..Money dont make you a republican..Every RedNeck I know is a republican..
Hollis
June 21st, 2011
3:40 pm
Enter your connemts here.
rod
June 21st, 2011
3:45 pm
Newt’s campaign is DOA period. Eye of Newt can go back on his vacation because he can’t even handle running for President much less running the country.
Julie
June 21st, 2011
3:46 pm
It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.
mike bromell
June 21st, 2011
3:49 pm
Hell …. I am gonna miss Newtie …. his loss will be a MAJOR GAIN for the KKK
Disgusted Republican
June 21st, 2011
3:51 pm
Rooty Toot Toot,
Newt got the boot,
He did it to himself,
Now his campaign is moot!
Bye Bye Newt!
well'swell
June 21st, 2011
3:52 pm
@GWC.
I sort of follow your point, albeit not totally. Suffice it to say I have a few dollars. Not MJ dollars by a stretch, but a few. Enough that SHOULD afford me the opportunity to whine as loud as some about my “wealth” being “redistributed”, my “taxes” yada, yada. The truth of the matter is most successful (and highly succesful) Blacks do not at all feel accepted by “conservative society”. I know personally doctors, attorneys, etc. – overwhelmingly Democratic. We are lumped into the same category as the shiftless and unclean UNLESS we outwardly display the vitriol against our own and to the satisfaction of those on Right who embrace that sort of thing. This is where people like Thomas,
Cain, etc come in. On a grand scale the conservative party and movement does nothing to change that (perfect example – Obama impersonator just this past weekend). Newt embodies those very things along with a large portion of the Republican field and we clearly see it.
On the other note…People like OJ buy into the hype and ride the pedestal they are placed upon. Not so much MJ, and he was the way he was long before his superstar status, and he inherited those traits from his father. Your larger point I “get” though.
Not Newt in 2012
June 21st, 2011
3:54 pm
He cannot manage his personal life nor can he manage his former campaign staff. He wants us to think that he can manage the most powerful nation on earth?
This destruction could not be happening to a more deserving individual.
If the people who are supposed to be helping you get elected don’t believe in the mission any more why should anybody else. Give up Newt. Pay your vendors the million that is owed and go back to being whatever you are.
itpdude
June 21st, 2011
4:21 pm
Newt is only staying in at this point to pay off the campaign debt. If he’s able to raise more dough, it will solely go to retiring the debt. He’s not a real candidate.