Top fundraisers depart Gingrich campaign

ATLANTA, June 21 (UPI) -- On the heels of the exodus of senior staff, two top fundraisers for U.S. Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich Tuesday resigned.

Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond told The Hill the parting with fundraising director Jody Thomas and fundraising consultant Mary Heitman was "amicable."

Hammond said Gingrich still has a number of people working on fundraising and he remains "committed" to the campaign.

"The campaign will continue to reorganize," Hammond told The Washington Post. "We are going to duct-tape together one coalition of Americans after another that believe in his large, bold vision of change."

The departures followed reports Gingrich is having trouble raising money and didn't have the $25,000 filing fee for the Ames Straw Poll or the $30,000 to buy a list of Iowa caucuses attendees.

Campaign manager Rob Johnson, longtime spokesman Rick Tyler and other top campaign aides resigned June 9 in a strategy dispute. Reports indicated they felt Gingrich was not really committed to the day-to-day campaign.

Gingrich is scheduled to speak Thursday in Atlanta on Federal Reserve policy and then head for Iowa Saturday for a Tea Party bus tour.