The latest claim by Newt Gingrich that he and his wife are frugal makes most people just laugh. How many of you had a bill at Tiffany's for several hundred thousand dollars?
CBS News:
...It was reported on Tuesday that, according to financial disclosures filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives in 2005 and 2006 by Gingrich's wife Callista (who was working for the House Agriculture Committee), a "revolving charge" (credit card) account at Tiffany and Co. involved debt in the range of $250,001-$500,000....
"Who buys a half-million dollars worth of jewelry on credit?" Schieffer asked.
"No. Go talk to Tiffany's. It's a standard, no-interest account," Gingrich said...
Bob Schieffer was right to ask, "Who buys a half-million dollars worth of jewelry on credit?" because no one in their right mind would do such a thing.
Gingrich has had money problems earlier. In another story from CBS, Gingrich owed back taxes on his businesses. There is even an example from 1997. Gingrich had to borrow $300,000 from then Sen. Bob Dole to pay ethics fines (see GoogleArchive:Vindicator April 21, 1997).
Then, in this account from a 1998 Salon article, we have yet another Gingrich scandal:
...The most notorious incident in Gingrich's marriage -- first reported by David Osborne in Mother Jones magazine in 1984 -- was when he cornered Jackie in her hospital room where she was recovering from uterine cancer surgery and insisted on discussing the terms of the divorce he was seeking.
Shortly after that infamous encounter, Gingrich refused to pay his alimony and child-support payments. The First Baptist Church in his hometown had to take up a collection to support the family Gingrich had deserted...
Newt Gingrich is not a shining example of a role model for any American.
