(CNN) – Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office said Monday that any potentially-damaging information she had on Newt Gingrich was all open to the public, defending earlier comments that she had "a thousand pages" of investigative material on Gingrich during his time as House speaker.
"Leader Pelosi was clearly referring to the extensive amount of information that is in the public record, including the comprehensive committee report with which the public may not be fully aware," said Nadeam Elshami, a Pelosi spokesman, in a statement.
Earlier Monday, Pelosi suggested in an interview she would talk in detail at some point about the House ethics committee's investigation of Gingrich in the late 1990s.
In the interview with the left-leaning news website Talking Points Memo, Pelosi was pressed to talk about her thoughts on the Republican presidential candidate's recent rise in the polls. While the House Democratic Leader demurred, she signaled she'd have more to say later.
"One of these days we'll have a conversation about Newt Gingrich," Pelosi told TPM. "I know a lot about him. I served on the investigative committee that investigated him, four of us locked in a room in an undisclosed location for a year. A thousand pages of his stuff."
According to the TPM story, Pelosi "joked" the information would come out "when the time's right."
After hearing about the interview, Gingrich told reporters in New York that he considered Pelosi's comments "an early Christmas gift" and said any information the Democratic Leader might release on the ethics probe would itself be a violation of House ethics rules.
"That is a fundamental violation of the rules of the House and I would hope members would immediately file charges against her the second she does it," Gingrich said. If Pelosi did talk publicly about any private deliberations of the inquiry, Gingrich urged members of the House to file a complaint against her.
At his press conference on Monday, former Speaker Gingrich also noted that 83 charges the House committee investigated were found to be false.
But in 1997 Gingrich became the only speaker to be reprimanded by the House, for giving false information about using tax deductible funds for political purposes to the ethics committee. He was also ordered to pay $300,000 to cover the cost of the panel's inquiry.
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Did Newt do anything even approaching the actions of Clinton or Edwards or the other Dems accused of something inappropriate ? The only thing he was found guilty of was accepting compensation for teaching a class while serving in Congress. I still don't follow why that matches the crimes of Clinton or Edwards.
Now I really want to know what Pelosi knows. I mean this guy could be president ,so whats he hiding?
Newt is the most ethically challenged person in Washington, and considering the type of person that goes there, that's really something.
Sure, Gingrich is completely unfit for office – and I'm not even talking about the moral hypocracy part – but seriously, what makes Pelosi think she's any better? This is the same woman who (along with other members of Congress) have made a pritty penny off of confidential Stock information. Don't throw stones if you live in a Ginormous Glass Skyscraper, because we're tired of being the ones who end up getting cut by all the glass, and we're tired of having to buy ya'll new windows every four years.
Herman to Newt; "Blame Yourself!"
What is thee to worry about. Gingrich is unelectable, period.
This one line tells you all you need to know about Gingrich... "That is a fundamental violation of the rules of the House and I would hope members would immediately file charges against her the second she does it,"
Rather than saying that an open viewing of the records would prove his innocence, Gingrich hides behind House secrecy rules. The tea party people who think that Newt would promote smaller or more open government obviously have not done their research.
Newt is scared and he should be...the man is the most unethical Republican candidate to date and he knows it.
If Americans vote for Republican, then we deserve to go down the drain fast. How could you foget in three years what the GOP has done? Obama is not perfect, but just look at these clowns. Give me a break.
All of this should be made public. They're all crooks. If you think your elected official in Washington has your best interests at heart, think again.
Democrats should leave Newt alone.
He can do bad enough on his own.
How can Pelosi talk about anyone else being dirty. Check her background.
All of the folks in DC who represent us are crooks. This is not news. If it is you have had your head stuck in the sand.
Newt said....any information the Democratic Leader might release on the ethics probe would itself be a violation of House ethics rules.
That is a chilling statement. If House ethics rules forbid the release of this information to the public then we the people are no longer in charge of our govt.
Newt should be cautious, Pelosi can definitely cast a spell on him.
I really don't want Obama for another 4 years, but Newt can not be the one that takes his place. No way.
this was the transparency obama and democrats promised to the american people.
I am sorry I thought perhaps the two of them had an affair when I read the headlines given Newts 3 marriages and affairs............
Warm up your pipes and sing Nancy. sing!!
He's a man completely unprincipled morally, ethically and politically. He's also academically bright, but not "street smart." He was often out played and manipulated by Clinton and even his own party during his failed tenure as Speaker
Here's the pot calling the kettle black.
As a loyal Obama supporter, I sure hope the Newtster gets the nomination. A man of big ideas, all usually bad.
"What's Pelosi got on Newt?" She's younger, saner, and better-looking.
Bribery!
I am thinking she as almost as corrupt as him. They all are. except for Ron Paul.