Mitt Romney rolls into Florida and launches a fresh salvo at Newt Gingrich
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Under a fading sunset and bright lights illuminating his campaign bus, Mitt Romney tonight came to new territory and tried to move beyond his loss in South Carolina with a series of direct attacks on the Palmetto State victor, Newt Gingrich.
“He was a leader for four years as speaker of the House,’’ Romney said. “At the end of four years it was ruled that he was a failed leader. And he had to resign in disgrace, I don’t know if you knew that.’’
Most did appear to know – they booed at the mere mention of Gingrich’s name. In 1997 the Ethics Committee – and the full House – fined Gingrich $300,000 for misleading the committee in an investigation into whether his use of tax-exempt groups to raise money was illegal.
“He talks about great bold movements and ideas. Well, what’s he been doing for 15 years?’’ Romney added, in another salvo. “He’s been working as a lobbyist, yeah. Working as a lobbyist and selling influence around Washington. He’s been working for Freddie Mac, heard of those guys?’’
Romney continued to call on Gingrich to release records related to the consulting work he did for the federally backed mortgage giant. He added a new line that he hopes will resonate in a state hit hard by the housing crisis.
“He said he’s a historian. I would like him to release his records,’’ Romney said. “What was his work product there? What was he doing at Freddie Mac? Because Freddie Mac figures in very prominently to the fact that people of Florida have seen home values go down. It’s time to turn that around.’’
It was a feistier tone that even stretched to how Romney deals with the protesters in the crowd who frequently interrupt his speeches. Tonight, about halfway through, a group began chanting, “We are the people!’’
Romney stopped, and pointed to those near him.
“Actually these are the people! You are the interrupters!’’ he said. “We believe in the constitution and we believe in the right to speech, and you believe in interrupting!’’
Then, for good measure, he yelled, “Take a hike!’’
Earlier in the day Romney pledged to release some of his tax returns on Tuesday. He is trying to remove an issue that caused him to stumble last week, both on the stump and in debates.
Romney was joined here by Florida Lieutenant Governor Pam Bondi, as well as former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, who grew up in nearby Daytona Beach.
Romney’s wife, Ann, also sought to deflect some of the controversy around Romney’s vast financial wealth and the income tax returns he’s planning to release on Tuesday.
“I understand Mitt’s going to release his tax forms this week. I want to remind you where our riches are: our riches are with our families,’’ Ann Romney said. “Our riches, you can value them, in the children we have and in the grandchildren we have. So that’s where our values are and that’s where our heart is — and that’s where we measure our wealth.’’
Matt Viser can be reached at [email protected].
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