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[[Image:Newtgingrich.jpg|200px|right|]]

[[Image:Newtgingrich.jpg|200px|right|]]

'''Newt Gingrich''' (born June 17, 1943) is a [[conservative]] politician. Representing [[Georgia]], Gingrich served as [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives| Speaker]] of the House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999, preceding [[J. Dennis Hastert]] and succeeding [[Thomas Foley]]. Widely considered a mastermind of the Republican revolution that swept [[Congress]] in the 1994 elections, the well-known architect of the “[[Contract with America]]” <ref>http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=59</ref> that led the [[Republican Party]] to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House for the first time in forty years.

'''Newt Gingrich''' (born June 17, 1943) is a [[conservative]] politician. Representing [[Georgia]], Gingrich served as [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives| Speaker]] of the House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999, preceding [[J. Dennis Hastert]] and succeeding [[Thomas Foley]]. Widely considered a mastermind of the Republican revolution that swept [[Congress]] in the 1994 elections, the well-known architect of the “[[Contract with America]]” <ref>[http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=59]</ref> that led the [[Republican Party]] to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House for the first time in forty years.

Gingrich remains very popular among many conservatives. He has repeatedly placed near the top of Republican presidential polls recently, even though he has not formed a campaign committee.  

Gingrich remains very popular among many conservatives. He has repeatedly placed near the top of Republican presidential polls recently, even though he has not formed a campaign committee.  

Under his leadership, Congress passed [[welfare reform]], passed the first balanced budget in a generation, and passed the first tax cut in sixteen years.  In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen our defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan [[9/11 Commission]].   

Under his leadership, Congress passed [[welfare reform]], passed the first balanced budget in a generation, and passed the first tax cut in sixteen years.  In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen our defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan [[9/11 Commission]].   

Gingrich's congressional career ended in 1998 when he abruptly resigned from Congress after poor showings from Republicans in elections and after being reprimanded by the House ethics panel  although he was later cleared of any wrongdoing.<ref>http://www.salon.com/news/letters/2006/01/11/gingrich/index.html</ref>

Gingrich's congressional career ended in 1998 when he resigned from Congress after poor showings from Republicans in the mid-term elections and being investigated by the House ethics panel:

 

'''"[[Democrats]] filed 84 politically motivated ethics charges against Gingrich. All of them were found to be without merit. The last three were dismissed on Oct. 10, 1998. The fact is, not a single ethics charge filed against Speaker Gingrich was ever found to be based in fact -- not one.  ''Gingrich was cleared of any and all wrongdoing.'''''

'''The fallout in the case resulted in an [[IRS]] investigation and a federal court case. Ultimately, Speaker Gingrich was cleared of any wrongdoing by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, the IRS and a federal judge."''' <ref>[http://www.salon.com/news/letters/2006/01/11/gingrich/index.html Rick Tyler, Communications Director, Gingrich Communications; Salon.com]</ref>

</blockquote>

*Military spending increased  for the first time in over 10 years including funding for a national missile defense.  

*Military spending increased  for the first time in over 10 years including funding for a national missile defense.  

*The line-item veto passed and was signed into law.  

*The line-item veto passed and was signed into law.  

*Six of the bills were signed into law by the President.  (In 1996, [[Bill Clinton| President Clinton]] pointed to 13 separate reforms that were contained within the Contract with America at the Democratic National Convention.)<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/acceptance-speech-to-1996-democratic-convention</ref>

*Six of the bills were signed into law by the President.  (In 1996, [[Bill Clinton| President Clinton]] pointed to 13 separate reforms that were contained within the Contract with America at the Democratic National Convention.)<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/acceptance-speech-to-1996-democratic-convention]</ref>

*More women were appointed to leadership positions in the House than anytime in history.  

*More women were appointed to leadership positions in the House than anytime in history.  

*Increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act by 700%.  

*Increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act by 700%.  

*[[Megan's Law]] was passed. <ref>http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/national-alert/?engine=adwords!3475&keyword=%2Amegan%27s+law%2A&match_type=&gclid=CKC_9fSEi4sCFSMhYQodWTGRHQ</ref><ref>http://www.klaaskids.org/pg-legmeg.htm</ref>

*[[Megan's Law]] was passed. <ref>[http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/national-alert/?engine=adwords!3475&keyword=%2Amegan%27s+law%2A&match_type=&gclid=CKC_9fSEi4sCFSMhYQodWTGRHQ]</ref> <ref>[http://www.klaaskids.org/pg-legmeg.htm</ref>

<ref>http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=31</ref>

<ref>[http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=31]</ref>

== Post Congressional Activities ==

== Post Congressional Activities ==

*Started the Center for Health Transformation, January 2003. <ref>http://www.healthtransformation.net/about/History/</ref>  

*Started the Center for Health Transformation, January 2003. <ref>[http://www.healthtransformation.net/about/History/ Center for Health Transformation, History]</ref>  

*“The idea that a congressman would be tainted by accepting money from private industry or private sources is essentially a socialist argument.”

*“The idea that a congressman would be tainted by accepting money from private industry or private sources is essentially a socialist argument.”

*If [[Thomas Edison]] invented electric light today, Dan Rather would report it on CBS News as "candle making industry threatened".”

*If [[Thomas Edison]] invented electric light today, Dan Rather would report it on CBS News as "candle making industry threatened".”

*“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”<ref>http://thinkexist.com/quotes/newt_gingrich*“It is impossible to maintain civilization with 12-year-olds having babies, with 15-year-olds killing each other, with 17-year-olds dying of AIDS and with 18-year-olds getting diplomas they can't read”

*“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”<ref>[http://thinkexist.com/quotes/newt_gingrich]</ref>

* “It is impossible to maintain civilization with 12-year-olds having babies, with 15-year-olds killing each other, with 17-year-olds dying of AIDS and with 18-year-olds getting diplomas they can't read”

 

== Writings ==

== Writings ==

As an author, Gingrich has published nine books including the best sellers, ''Contract with America'' and ''To Renew America'' and his most recent book, ''Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America''.  In June 2005, ''Never Call Retreat'' concluded Newt's series of active history studies in the lessons of warfare based on a fictional account of the [[Battle of Gettysburg]] and its aftermath.  And in ''Saving Lives & Saving Money'', Gingrich demonstrates how to transform health and healthcare into a 21st century system.<ref>http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=71][http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=newt%20gingrich%20books&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_28026792_1&results-process=default</ref>

As an author, Gingrich has published nine books including the best sellers, ''Contract with America'' and ''To Renew America'' and his most recent book, ''Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America''.  In June 2005, ''Never Call Retreat'' concluded Newt's series of active history studies in the lessons of warfare based on a fictional account of the [[Battle of Gettysburg]] and its aftermath.  And in ''Saving Lives & Saving Money'', Gingrich demonstrates how to transform health and healthcare into a 21st century system.<ref>[http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=71][http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=newt%20gingrich%20books&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_28026792_1&results-process=default]</ref>

== Personal Life ==

== Personal Life ==

Newt Gingrich has publicly admitted to having been engaged in an extra-marital sexual relationship during the period he was pushing for [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]'s impeachment. ""The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder [[James Dobson]]. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards." Gingrich argued in the interview, however, that he should not be viewed as a hypocrite for pursuing Clinton's infidelity. "''The President of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge''," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials." <ref>http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1597666,00.html?cnn=yes</ref>

Newt Gingrich has publicly admitted to having been engaged in an extra-marital sexual relationship during the period he was pushing for [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]'s impeachment. ""The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder [[James Dobson]]. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards." Gingrich argued in the interview, however, that he should not be viewed as a hypocrite for pursuing Clinton's infidelity. "''The President of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge''," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials." <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1597666,00.html?cnn=yes]</ref>

[[Image:Newt Callista.jpg|thumb|Newt and Callista]]

[[Image:Newt Callista.jpg|thumb|Newt and Callista]]

== External links ==

== External links ==

*[http://newt.org/AboutNewt/tabid/57/Default.aspx Official Bio]

*[http://newt.org/AboutNewt/tabid/57/Default.aspx Official Biography]

== References ==

== References ==