Newt Gingrich Campaign Resurgence Funded by Secretive Coterie of Super PACS, Wealthy Donors

DemocracyNow.org - With the Iowa caucus less than two weeks away and the Republican presidential race still up for grabs, Democracy Now! takes in an in-depth look at the state of politics and money and how last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission has altered campaign fundraising since it opened the floodgates for unlimited corporate spending on election campaigns. Several recent exposes reveal how Newt Gingrich has skirted campaign finance rules to raise millions of dollars in unlimited donations from billionaire backers and big industry. McClatchy Newspapers recently reported Gingrich helped bankroll his resurrection as a candidate by exploiting a gap in federal campaign finance laws to create a political money machine that raised $54 million over five years. Meanwhile the Center For Public Integrity has published new details on how Gingrich has the backing of two so-called super PACs that raise unlimited donations, but legally must operate independently of the campaign. We speak with Peter Stone, a reporter with Center for Public Integrity who has covered lobbying and campaign finance issues for the past two decades, and with Greg Gordon, investigative reporter for McClatchy's Washington, D.C. Bureau.

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• gingrich
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[LavaIslandKing]

@neobudda1 Well done neobudda1! Thank you for making my point for me!

Another fine product of America's decaying educational system.

[bnewton81]

What are we going to do when they assassinate Ron Paul?

[vbfrost]

@mschneiderg If the state, or any other party for that matter infringes on our liberties, that's the reason for rule of law. If your rights have been infringed upon, take it to the law. Big banks and corporations have even more of an incentive to manipulate government because it has the power to regulate human behavior. So what happens is that the revolving door game is played - the government officials writing these regulations are working for the interest of big corp and not the people.

[mschneiderg]

@vbfrost

"Modern libertarianism is the disguise adopted by those who wish to exploit without restraint. It pretends that only the state intrudes on our liberties. It ignores the role of banks, corporations and the rich in making us less free..."

tinyurl(dot)com/7o62t22

[mschneiderg]

@vbfrost So instead there should be absolutely no checks on big business? How is that any better?

[vbfrost]

Ron Paul 2012. The incentive to buy off politicians comes from the amount of power government currently wields. We must stop trying to control and manipulate everything.

[LiberalJerseyman]

@generalzeedot And destroy medicare, social security, the environment, worker's rights, race relations, etc

[generalzeedot]

@LiberalJerseyman you progs need to be slightly machiavellian. It's only going to be Obama, Newt or, remote chance, Ron Paul. The candidate most likely to drain $ out of gov is Paul and that will level the field in your favour in future.

[neobudda1]

@LavaIslandKing FUCKYOU! you are nothing but a lapdog to your rich masters so be a good boy and go lick your balls

[neobudda1]

@LavaIslandKing fuck you! people like you are nothing but lapdogs for the ruling rich, so go like your balls until your masters call.