RSS
News


Home Page > News > Newt Gingrich's Fannie Mae-and-Freddie Mac-sponsored trip to Ireland

Newt Gingrich's Fannie Mae-and-Freddie Mac-sponsored trip to Ireland

New York Times reveals Irish trip funded in part by the housing giants

By
DARA KELLY,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Sunday, February 5, 2012, 7:50 AM
Updated Sunday, February 5, 2012, 7:50 AM

print this article Print
email this articleE-mail
comment on article 3 Comments
See more: US Politics  

Newt Gingrich


In 1998, Speaker Newt Gingrich traveled to Ireland, where he researched his Irish roots, discussed the prospects for peace in Northern Ireland and even helped build a home in Belfast for a good-will project. Two of the sponsors for the trip were Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

As Newt Gingrich fights to stay in contention against Mitt Romney in the Republican primaries, he has faced many questions about the more than $1.6 million in consulting fees he got from Freddie Mac since leaving Congress in 1999. But records and interviews show that the relationship started years earlier, reports the New York Times.

While on the campaign trail, he has minimized his past connections to the government-backed housing industry giants, records show that, as House leader in the 1990s, Gingrich aligned himself with the two closely related companies on a number of key issues.

____________________

READ MORE:

Will Newt Gingrich be the next Irish Catholic president?---New Republican frontrunner heads Romney, Obama in poll match ups

Will Newt Gingrich be the next Irish Catholic president?---New Republican frontrunner heads Romney, Obama in poll match ups

Newt Gingrich plays on racial, political and social resentments
______________________

Gingrich also worked with Fannie and Freddie on a number of housing projects in the U.S. and abroad, including Ireland.

The visit to a Belfast neighborhood in 1998 to start building a home for a low-income family was part of a foreign extension of an American program called “The House that Congress Built.”

The Belfast project was sponsored principally by Fannie and Freddie, along with Habitat for Humanity and the National Association of Realtors.

Marianne Gingrich, Mr. Gingrich’s wife at the time, joined him in Ireland, as did other members of Congress.

As the trip was considered Congressional business, public money was apparently used for portions of the trip, but the breakdown on the financing, and what part was covered by Fannie and Freddie, could not be determined.

A financial disclosure statement for 1998 that would show gifts and trips provided by outside groups was not filed by Gingrich that year, according to Congressional records, even though House rules appear to require him to have filed a report within 30 days after he left Congress under an ethics cloud in January 1999.

1 2 Next page >
​
See more: US Politics , US Presidential Race , Right-wing , Newt Gingrich , GOP
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail


3 Comments

See all comments

MegK311 | Feb 05, 2012, 02:53 PM EST
Many of our Senators and Congress men/women have had trips paid for to various parts of the world. Romney backers have accused Newt of a lot of wrong doing. If you would get your facts straight he was cleared of almost all the accusations. However once they have dragged you through the muck and lies it sticks whether it is true or not. It is difficult to regain your reputation. I don't have a problem with lobbyists being paid to represent organizations or businesses. What I do have a problem with is elected officials taking money and expensive gifts as bribes for their vote.

Report abuse

rpmschevy | Feb 05, 2012, 02:02 PM EST
Hey connors trip was when he was Speaker of the House, before taking the million. Get facts straight. Our money was also wasted on a not elected, at the time, get it, Hillary Clinton going to Ireland. Or Obama going for a pint and not doing any real work.

Report abuse

trconnors | Feb 05, 2012, 10:57 AM EST
How can this be. Don Juan gingrich was only a historian for them. this cant be true. it must be another left wing lie. Poor newtie. what next

Report abuse

 


IrishCentral logo
"Like" IrishCentral
IrishCentral Mobile QR code


Connect to IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or Sign-Up directly

Already Registered? Sign-In!

Welcome to IrishCentral!
Please provide the following information in order to create your account

Username:
E-Mail Address:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


Already Registered? Sign-In!
Forgot my password

Welcome to IrishCentral!
All we need is the following information and you will be part of the #1 Irish community in the US

E-Mail Address:
First select a unique username:
Username:
Now choose a password:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Thank you!

Just one more step and you will be part of the largest Irish community in America! Tell us a little more about you to start enjoying all the features of IrishCentral.

Additional Information:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Zip:
Gender: Male  Female 
Country:
Degree of Irishness:
Household Income:
Level of Education:

Subscribe to our newsletters:

The Best of IrishCentral - Daily Newsletter
Special Offers from our sponsors

or
Skip

You can edit your information at any time, just go to "my account" when you're logged in.

Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password
Not a member? Register Now!
submit to reddit
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail