Gingrich writings, speeches scrutinized

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The writings and speeches given by Republican U.S. presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich since he left the U.S. House are coming under scrutiny, observers said.

Gingrich has written dozens of columns and given speeches promoting various companies while failing to disclose that the companies were paying members of a think tank Gingrich founded and ran, USA Today reported Thursday.

In a series of commentaries written in the dozen years since he resigned as speaker, Gingrich has advocated for various healthcare related issues, including electronic healthcare records and medical malpractice reform without revealing the issues were tied to members of the Center for Health Transformation, a for-profit think tank he founded in 2003.

Group members pay between $5,000 and $200,000, depending on how many employees attend the center's meetings and use other services, Center for Health Transformation spokeswoman Susan Meyers said. She said Meyers said the center should have done a better job putting the member affiliation in the underline of his commentaries.

But Meyers and Gingrich campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond say the Georgia Republican had ideas about healthcare long before health industry-related clients joined his organization.

Gingrich is under fire for failing to fully disclose receiving at least $1.6 million in consulting fees from mortgage giant Freddie Mac after he left Congress in 1999. On the stump, Gingrich has been critical of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.

Gingrich and his campaign said in a statement Wednesday he worked for Freddie Mac, but that it was one of the many entities that hired his consulting firm, The Gingrich Group. Gingrich, the campaign said, did not lobby for his clients.