Newt Gingrich Says The Man Who Gave Him $15 Million Has Too Much Influence
Newt Gingrich complaining about the influence of wealthy donors would be like Sarah Palin complaining about elected officials who quit their elected posts for fame, money and glory.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R), whose 2012 presidential bid was boosted by $15 million spent by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, on Friday decried the outsize influence that the wealthy have on the political process.
The answer? Candidates should be able to raise the kind of massive sums that super PACs can, Gingrich told the National Journal.
The former speaker made the remarks in response to a question about the number of potential 2016 candidates who are in Las Vegas this week to meet with Adelson during a multi-day conclave held by the Republican Jewish Coalition.
“Whether it’s the Koch brothers or [George] Soros on the left or Sheldon,” Gingrich said, “if you’re going to have an election process that radically favors billionaires and is discriminating against the middle class—which we now have—then billionaires are going to get a lot of attention.”
