Romney out with biting ad against Gingrich
(CNN) - Mitt Romney's campaign released a blistering new Florida television ad against Newt Gingrich on Monday, eight days before the Sunshine State's presidential primary.
"If Newt wins, this guy would be very happy," the ad's narrator says, as a photo of a smiling President Barack Obama appears on screen.
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The 30-second commercial, "Florida Families," is set to air statewide in Florida.
In a part of the country that saw large amounts of home foreclosures, the ad particularly strikes Gingrich over his time as a consultant at mortgage giant Freddie Mac.
"While Florida families lost everything in the housing crisis, Newt Gingrich cashed in," the narrator says.
Gingrich worked as a consultant for Freddie Mac during two different time periods, in which his company received more than $1.6 million.
While his opponents claim he worked as a lobbyist, Gingrich insists he did no lobbying of any kind. On Monday, he said his campaign was working with his former firm to release records of the consulting contract.
But Romney's new ad zeroes in on Gingrich as a lobbyist and Washington insider.
The spot features footage of Gingrich speaking about his Freddie Mac history: "I offered advice. And my advice as a historian…"
Interrupting, the narrator says: "An historian? Really?"
The ad, citing Gingrich's $300,000 penalty to a House committee in 1997 for an ethics violation, blasts the former speaker as being "sanctioned for ethics."
"Gingrich resigned from Congress in disgrace," the narrator says, echoing a new line of attack Romney unleashed on the campaign trail on Sunday.
The former speaker maintains the fine was a "reimbursement," not a penalty, for the cost of the investigation.
- CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Also see:
Romney takes aim at Gingrich in Florida
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Myth MorNEY is now throwing mud; hoping it's gonna stick!
Winder when he is gonna be half of a man; his dad that is...and release 6yrs of his TAX RETURNS!!!!
R-money is just GWB 2.0, the next Elitist Neocon Robot.
Anybody ever notice it's all about "fighting", "fear", "hating", "hitting", "gun sights", etc., with those republicans?
The teabagger tail wagging the GOBP dog is fun to watch.
@Truth,remember who can raise some money,more than Mitt,Gingrinch can by decent middle class people,not corporate thugs who use lobbyist during off season for the 1%ers,Barack remember too,is an organizer with great speaking skills.He also likes Unions,something you, as a disgruntled ex union employee don't like,sleep on that for a while...