Gingrich group withdraws invite to adult entertainment exec
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/30/art.gingrich.gi.jpg caption="Gingrich group withdraws invite to adult entertainment exec."]
(CNN) - For the second time this month, Newt Gingrich's 527 has decided that it made a mistake inviting an adult entertainment industry entrepreneur to attend a "private dinner" with the former House Speaker.
Dawn Rizos, owner of Dallas topless club The Lodge, received a letter earlier this month from Gingrich's American Solutions inviting her to dine with Gingrich at a Capitol Hill club next week. She was also told she had been selected to receive an Entrepreneur of the Year Award. "Dawn - Newt is looking forward to finally meeting you face to face" to talk policy, read a handwritten note on the missive.
Lodge spokesman Michael Precker says they were told the group would need $5,000 to confirm her attendance, which they promptly paid.
On Tuesday, Rizos - who Precker said had laid out the funds for her own travel to the event - was informed by a marketing company working for American Solutions that the invite had been mistakenly extended, and was being rescinded.
Precker said he was told the invitation had been intended for another company with the same name - DCG - as the club's corporate parent. He also says he was told the full $5,000, and the non-refundable travel expenses incurred, would be returned - "so I guess they really don't want us around." No funds have yet been received, he said.
The latest cancellation comes just weeks after porn executive Allison Vivas - who received the same invitation to a dinner with Gingrich, with a nearly identical handwritten note - received her own cancellation notice.
Vivas' invite was rescinded shortly after she released a statement promising to make sure the Georgia Republican left their sitdown "educated about the realities of the online porn market."
An American Solutions spokesman said at the time that the notice to Vivas had been mistakenly sent, and that the group "regret(ted) the error."
The group said Tuesday that the notice Dawn Rizos received "was sent at the same time as the other mistake for the same reason." It did not specify what that reason was.
Follow Rebecca Sinderbrand on Twitter: @sinderbrandrcnn
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With all the craziness going on in politics I loved this story. I laughed hysterically! Newt did not invite this woman, the company organizing the event did, but come on American lighten up...it was funny. Well maybe not for Ms. Rizos, I hope she got a refund...hahaha.
It's not about ethics or morality, baby!
It's money, money, money for the big time loser, Gingrich!
Oh so what – some marketing list foul up that certainly doesn't reflect Gingrich's view on porn or whatever.
What's revealing is his participation in such a cheezy scam. "you've earned this reward and all we need is a $5,000 to confirm your attendance." That's on the level of the "Who's Who in America scams," "you've been nominated and this is your opportunity to buy these elite books with your name in it."
As they'd say in Georgia, "that's lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut." Nice company you're keeping there Newt.
Newt's not President, but Jennings, the SAFE SCHOOLS CZAR, didn't report pedophila when he knew about it 21 years ago. Obama sure surrrounds himself with quality individuals.
Good for Newt! Why should we Democrats have all the fun right?
what a loser!!! Glenn beck his pal who secretly hates America because Americans will never vote a mormon president ever! He hates America and wants to see it divided for this reason, aptly using his show to attain said goal! Americans will never vote for another Republican they have it wrong! its country before party not the other way aound losers!
Here's my question to all of the liberals on here that continue to bash everything conservative.
If you're so sure you guys are going to trounce in the elections again and that nobody agrees with people like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, then why do they sell so many books?
I think you might be a bit delusional in your thinking and the proverbial bucket of water will be splashed in your face in about a year...
Hey greed IS a family value for some people.
I'm curious what his spin will be.
Tom DeLay's been talking to Newt...........that $5K sounds familiar.
Gosh, and I was just about to change my opinion of Newt.
Aw Newt, come on. Show us what family values you really believe in. After all, we all know that it wouldn't be the first time you saw a topless woman that wasn't your wife..
You're not rescinding the invite because of your moral stance, right? It's just because of the perceived moral stance. We already know you are a hipocrite. Who do you think you are fooling?
So Newt invited everyone on his teabagger list.....lol
That old dog Newt has not done anything wrong. He has the right to get his grove on, he's an adult. He is just doing what all GOP do the best.
Mistake, my foot. Come on guys, own up, you know those invitations were not unintended, and I hope you had the grace to reimburse the $5,000 to the two parties.
And.... where did Newt meet her?!! Doesn't take a lot of imagination as he's among the biggest hypocrites in the world of politics.
Did they give her money back? A hint for those who receive something in the mail that asks for money-throw it away! That includes PAC solicitations, and those creepy guys who claim to be from overseas and want YOU to have their fortune, for a price of course. It's a scam!
Newt Gingrich doesn't deserve my comments. I spit on that philandering gasbag.
I wonder if Sean Hannity will lead in with this story tonight? Nah....
I guess that means that Larry probably didn't get invited also.
What can any of us say? Are we surprised? We shouldn't be. The Republican Party is the most hypocritical entity in America today...... bar none! If they cannot even get their promotional act together, which should be "elementary, Watson," then how should we think about how they would run the country. The thought frightens me!
Anyone who would invest one second or one penny in pursuit of Newt Gingrich or his message is messed up beyond rational comprehension.
Would this be the Republican's and Newt's answer to Hitler's Final Solution, the American Solution? Hmmm.
Oh, Newtster.....you never fail to amaze me. You seriously need to let go of the "family values" platform. You've proven time and time again, you are anything BUT "family values."
What a bafoon!
Newt is Mute on this one! Usually he can't stop criticizing. Guess he's shown where his family values really are-where they always have been!