Romney Campaign Press Release - Politifact: Newt Gingrich "Took Pains to avoid being subject to the rules" of Lobbying

"Mitt Romney Says Newt Gingrich's Contract Was With Freddie Mac's Lobbyists — True"

Politifact

Angie Drobnic Holan

January 24, 2012

Says Newt Gingrich's contract was with "the lobbyists at Freddie Mac."

Mitt Romney on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 in a Republican debate in Tampa - True

...

At a debate in Tampa, Romney criticized Gingrich for advising Freddie Mac, the mortgage giant that backs housing loans around the country.

...

Gingrich never had to register as a lobbyist, but it appears he took pains to avoid being subject to the rules.

Romney said during the debate that Gingrich's contract "was provided by the lobbyists at Freddie Mac." We decided to check it out.

...

Experts we spoke with and the research we reviewed showed the "strategic advice" category is a way of using influence without having to register as a lobbyist.

They said strategic advisers can do quite a bit for clients like Freddie Mac without acquiring the lobbyist label. They can stay at the client's office and give their best advice on with whom to meet and what to say. They can give instructions to someone who is a registered lobbyist, again telling the lobbyist with whom to meet and what points to address. They can take their clients to meetings with groups that aren't part of the government, such as grassroots political groups. They can even have one big meeting with an elected official to make a case for a client.

"There's a lot of activity that ordinary people would think of as lobbying that doesn't trigger the obligation to register as a lobbyist under federal law. Strategic advice is one of those kinds of things that doesn't," said Joseph Sandler, an attorney with the Washington law firm Sandler Reiff Young & Lamb, when we spoke with him in December.

...

"Newt Gingrich is certainly not alone among well-heeled political players who say they just offer consulting services or strategic advice -- without needing to register as lobbyists. But it's a stretch to claim that they aren't part of the influence game," said Michael Beckel, a spokesman with the Center for Responsive Politics, via email. The nonpartisan group monitors lobbying and campaign spending.

Our ruling

Romney said Newt Gingrich's contract was with "the lobbyists at Freddie Mac." Gingrich provided strategic advice, a way of wielding political influence without having to register as a lobbyist. The primary point of contact on the contract was one of Freddie's lobbyists. We rate Romney's statement True.