[Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich] has been under fire for the large fees he took from Freddie Mac since the issue arose at a Republican debate last week. At that time, he acknowledged receiving $300,000 for his work. Then Bloomberg News reported [ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-16/gingrich-said-to-be-paid-at-least-1-6-million-by-freddie-mac.html ] on Tuesday that Gingrich took in between $1.6 million and $1.8 million in consulting fees from two contracts with the mortgage giant over a span of eight years.
Take the smaller figure, that's $200,000 a year for....what, exactly?
At a campaign event, Gingrich said that he characterized his work for the mortgage-finance entity as offering “strategic advice” and not as lobbying.... Gingrich said his lucrative association with Freddie Mac as a consultant – he has also said he was paid for his knowledge as an historian – should not trouble voters.
* Flip: "Personal responsibility extends to the purchase of health insurance. Citizens should not be able to cheat their neighbors by not buying insurance, particularly when they can afford it, and expect others to pay for their care when they need it." — June 2007 * Flop: "I am against any effort to impose a federal mandate on anyone because it is fundamentally wrong and I believe unconstitutional." — May 16, 2011
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