Romney Campaign Press Release - Newt Gingrich: A Lobbyist by Any Other Name...

"Speaker Gingrich's denial of his lobbying work in Washington has reached comical proportions. While he continues to deny that he ever lobbied, he is contradicted by former members of Congress, third-party observers, and even his own surrogates. Speaker Gingrich should come clean with Republican primary voters and address his lobbying work honestly and forthrightly." —Ryan Williams, Romney Campaign Spokesman

Last Night, Gingrich Said His Advocacy Before Lawmakers In Support Of Specific Legislation That Could Benefit His Clients Was "Not Lobbying," But An "Expression Of Citizenship":

Gingrich:  "Calling Somebody To Say 'As You Know, I Favor This' Is Not Lobbying; It Is An Expression Of My Citizenship." GINGRICH: "That was my public policy. Now as a senior member of the Republican Party, calling somebody to say 'as you know, I favor this,' is not lobbying; it is an expression of my citizenship."  (CNN's "John King USA, 1/24/12)

• Click Here To Watch: http://mi.tt/xYnRo2

Republican Members Of Congress Say Gingrich Was A Lobbyist:

Former Rep. Jeb Bradley: "Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says he was never a lobbyist. But three US representatives, including former New Hampshire Representative Jeb Bradley, have said Gingrich did in fact lobby them — whether he met the technical definition of a lobbyist or not. Bradley told the Globe that he remembers Gingrich, in 2003, advocating in favor of the legislation that created the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit before a group of around 10 members of Congress." (Shira Schoenberg, "Newt Gingrich Denies That His 2003 Advocacy For Medicare Expansion Was Lobbying," Boston Globe, 12/28/11)

Rep. Jeff Flake And Former Rep. Butch Otter: "Today, the Des Moines Register reported that US Representative Jeff Flake of Arizona and former Representative Butch Otter of Idaho said Gingrich lobbied them in 2003 to vote for the Medicare prescription drug benefit program." (Shira Schoenberg, "Newt Gingrich Denies That His 2003 Advocacy For Medicare Expansion Was Lobbying," Boston Globe, 12/28/11)

Former Rep. Marilyn Musgrave: "Former Colorado Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, now a director at the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, said Gingrich called her at the height of the 2003 debate urging her to vote for the bill. 'Newt called me to vote yes,' Musgrave told CNN by phone on Wednesday. 'He asked for a yes vote on a Medicare prescription drug benefit,' she said." (Peter Hamby, "Gingrich Urged Yes Vote On Controversial Medicare Bill, Former Congresswoman Says," CNN, 12/28/11)

Third-Party Observers Say Gingrich Was A Lobbyist:

The Washington Examiner: "It Appears [Gingrich] Was Being Paid To Aid Freddie Mac's Lobbying Agenda." "[Gingrich's] Freddie Mac work gives off a whiff of lobbying, according to the contract he just released. Specifically, the Freddie Mac executive who hired Gingrich was not the CEO, nor the VP for operations, or the VP for communications, but Craig Thomas, the VP for Public Policy — that is, the head of Freddie Mac's lobbying operations. Thomas was a registered lobbyist at the time. ... So, Gingrich may or may not have made lobbying contacts on Freddie's behalf, but it appears he was being paid to aid Freddie Mac's lobbying agenda." (Timothy P. Carney, "Gingrich Worked For Freddie Mac's Lobby Shop," The Washington Examiner, 1/23/12)

• "When Gingrich Says He Was Never A Lobbyist, He's Using A Narrow Definition Of The Term." (Stephanie Condon, "Newt Gingrich Not Technically A Lobbyist, But..." CBSNews.com, 11/30/11)

• Politico Headline: "Registration Or Not, Gingrich Was A Lobbyist" (Politico, 11/30/11)

• "Observers Of Washington's Lobbyist Culture Say ... Gingrich Was A Lobbyist Even If He Wasn't A Lobbyist." (Matt Negrin, "Newt Gingrich: The Lobbyist Who Wasn't," ABC News, 1/24/12)

"The Freddie Mac Executive Who Hired Gingrich Was ... The Head Of Freddie Mac's Lobbying Operations." "[Gingrich's] Freddie Mac work gives off a whiff of lobbying, according to the contract he just released. Specifically, the Freddie Mac executive who hired Gingrich was not the CEO, nor the VP for operations, or the VP for communications, but Craig Thomas, the VP for Public Policy — that is, the head of Freddie Mac's lobbying operations. Thomas was a registered lobbyist at the time." (Timothy P. Carney, "Gingrich Worked For Freddie Mac's Lobby Shop," The Washington Examiner, 1/23/12)

• The University Of Virginia's Larry Sabato: "[T]he Explanation: 'I Was A Historian, I Wasn't A Lobbyist'? There's No One Who Buys That." (Katrina Trinko, "Crony Newt," National Review, 12/13/11)

• Howard Marlowe, American League Of Lobbyists: "Newt Gingrich Is A Lobbyist. Any Way You Cut The Cake, He Was Working To Influence Policy." (Howard Marlowe, "When Is A Lobbyist Not A Lobbyist," The Hill, 12/21/11)

Even Gingrich's Own Surrogates Concede He Was A Lobbyist:

Former Rep. J.C. Watts Used The Term "Splitting Hairs" When Talking About Gingrich And The Consulting/Lobbying Debate. "In response to charges from Mitt Romney that the former House speaker 'lobbied' for Freddie Mac, Newt Gingrich campaign surrogate J.C. Watts, a former congressman from Oklahoma, argued that his work as a 'consultant' to the mortgage giant actually makes Gingrich a better candidate for president. ... Watts played down the charge from Romney that Gingrich was a lobbyist, calling it 'splitting hairs.'" (Michael Warren, "Watts Defends Gingrich's Freddie Work," Weekly Standard, 1/23/12)