Gingrich: Campaign worker's signature fraud cost slot on Virginia ballot
Algona, Iowa (CNN) - Newt Gingrich cited fraud Wednesday as the reason he didn't get on the Virginia primary ballot.
Last week his campaign acknowledged they used paid volunteers to scramble to get the required 10,000 signatures but fell short after the former House speaker and Virginia resident boasted his campaign was submitting as many as 12,000-14,000 signatures.
On a campaign stop at an Algona chocolate store, the former House speaker said the "mistake" occurred because one of their workers committed fraud.
"We hired somebody who turned in false signatures. We turned in 11,100 – we needed 10,000 – 1,500 of them were by one guy who frankly committed fraud."
The campaign called the Virginia ballot qualification process a "failed system" after they learned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul were the only candidates that were successful.
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I think I smell ACORN at work here.
Gingrich failed to meet the standard. The standard is obviously achievable as two well-funded and long-campaigning candidates have met it. There may or may not be a fish here, but it's the Virginia primary voter who has lost the ability to cast a vote for two obviously credible national candidates. Whether Gingrich or Perry could have won will never be known. Virginia gets either Paul or Romney... huzzah!
That one campaign worker is being hailed a as a hero now.
I know this is a cheap shot,
but after 8 years of George Bush,
what kind of message would we be sending to the rest of the world
if we put a "Newt" in the white house ?
Charlie Sheen fans would probably love it.
Look at me, look at me....I'm winning.....
How about a new TV show,
We put a bunch of politicians in a room, and give them weapons.
The one who walks out alive, gets the white house.
Just for the record, both parties are nothing but fraudsters. Neither has a better track record of honesty and supporting the American people than the other.
Election fraud...A HUGE problem for both established parties. We have seen it up here in Minnesota with criminals getting to vote illegally for Democrats, and in Wisconsin during the election over there by Democrats. At least Gingrich has the stones to call it what it is. The Democrats either deny the fact, or use a plausible deniability B.S. line.
Hey how come there are no right wingers chiming in? Don't you have an opinion on this? You guys are usually so vocal.
Looks like he hired an 'employed' Democrat operative, who did their job as instructed.
NEVER as it appears with Newt. Sneaks around on 2 wives,sneaks around and gets paid as a lobbyist for a firm he publically bashes,now a paid volunteer(measn he doesn't have enough zealots to do his grunt work gets fraud signatures in his own state. Is this a guys who liesa nd cheats on everyone?? What a low life. No wonder why he married The Joker's Sister. He wants us to trust HIM??
Republican philosophy: It wouldn't have been fraud if they didn't find it.
Come On Newter! The current "Teleprompter On Chief" has cornered the market on playing the "Blame Game", show us something different.
"Paid volunteers?" In what language was this written?
He could have just asked Bush for the Computer Program that rigs everything republican.
Oh wait - Mitt has already bought that from Daddy Bush.
Newt Gingrich is a embarrassment and a disgrace to the Republican party. He should not be a cadnidate. How is he suppose to fix our economy when he can't even run his campain. Maybe he should go back to greece and get more ideas on how to fix our economy.....
NEWT IS FINALLY ADMITTING THAT HE IS RUNNING A FRADULENT CAMPAIGN, and you can bet your sweet bippy that Newt knew about it from the get go. He now is blaming someone else for the FRAUD, it sounds like Newt. Newt got caught, so it is someone else`s fault.
Don't you just love these 'smartest guy in the room' types?
If he needed 10000 and one guy turned in 1500 thats 15% of the total needed. I think its pretty incompetent to rely so heavily on one person and not vet him or check his results.
"Paid volunteer?" Accusations of fraud - this is just too stupid to be believed. Next, it will be a left wing conspiracy. Please, this guy can't get it right in his home state - he's polarizing, arrogant and clueless as to what it takes to lead.
And no doubt that Newt Gingrich told his workers to commit fraud in order to get on the Virginia ballot. How sweet it is that he got caught cheating again.
Amazing how most of the posters here relish any chance to trash anyone with an R by their name. I voted for Obama and am looking for another option. I'm reading how the Repubs are nothing but fraudulent and dishonest. Yet, our leader promised us healthcare debates on CSPAN, bills on internet for two weeks before a vote, deficit cut in half his first term, no lobbyists, reach across the ailse, more drilling, close Gitmo and transparency. All lies and we are worse off for it. I believed him three years ago now I don't. I want as many options to vote for as possible. At least Newt pioneered balancing the budget under Clinton. Wish he could run again. Wake up America, we are broke and vulnerable and it is getting worse. How can you deny any of this? I'm sure you ideologues have an excuse for each of his broken promises, but they don't hold water. We are in serious trouble and it is getting much worse day by day. I can take about every derogatory comment about Newt and apply it towards Obama. Shame that many of you continue to lie to yourselves about the state of our country. Truly amazing.
So, if it actually is "fraud," has anyone been investigated or arrested?
That's what happens when you privatize.
GOP and "fraud" together in one sentence? You betcha!
CNN, you're dropping the ball here. Let's have the name of the Gingrich paid - [Tennessean, I guess] who is alleged to have committed the fraud, and some information on the progress that's been made on bringing this person before a judge to answer the charges.
Gingrich paid = Gingrich-paid, above. Please forgive the error.