FBI Considered Sting on Gingrich in 1997

[BakshisMouse]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

 

[occupied]

Sounds like a Neo-Con sort of thing. Arms deals with rogue states, shadowy intermediaries, plausible deniability, buckets of cash, the works.

 

[zzzz]

A lot of scams are done in peoples names who know nothing about it. I would venture that this is what was happening here.

 

[BakshisMouse]

A lot of scams are done in peoples names who know nothing about it. I would venture that this is what was happening here.

Would you elaborate on that?

 

[PoliticalChic]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

"What do you guys think?"

Who do you think the WaPo would rather see run against der wunderkind, Gingrich or Romney?

 

[BakshisMouse]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

"What do you guys think?"

Who do you think the WaPo would rather see run against der wunderkind, Gingrich or Romney?

I guess they'd want Romney, but what does it matter? I believe that Obama will win no matter what his opponent anyways. It still doesn't change that Newt is a corrupt and ammoral man.

 

[asterism]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

You honestly think a Clinton Justice Department would opt to not set up a sting if there was any justification to do so at all?

Wow!

 

[JoeB131]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

You honestly think a Clinton Justice Department would opt to not set up a sting if there was any justification to do so at all?

Wow!

Good point. Between Waco and the transfer of 900 FBI files on Prominent Republicans, the FBI was in enough trouble.

 

[BakshisMouse]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

You honestly think a Clinton Justice Department would opt to not set up a sting if there was any justification to do so at all?

Wow!

If there was not enough evidence, perhaps not.

 

[Toro]

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Read the story at washingtonpost.com

What do you guys think? Do you think that Newt could have actually done what Soghanalian accused him of doing?

It wouldn't surprise me if more evidence confirming this came up, but this is such an old story that it probably won't. Schemes like the one alleged here this are probably business as usual in Washington.

No. Newt has a lot of faults but I don't think he's corrupt. Or at least anymore corrupt than the rest of them.

 

[JoeB131]

I find the claims dubious on their face.

There was no appetite for lifting arms embargoes on Iraq by anyone in 1997. Neither party had any interest in doing it. Congress really wouldn't have had any influence in changing the policy, as this was a call that the Executive branch was making through the UN. And at that point, the UN was making a killing administering the corrupt "Oil for Food" program that never actually got all that much food to Iraqi kids.

Also, this person said he could influence Gingrich's wife at the time. (This would be the same wife you all claim was the victim of Newt's unkindness.... how much influence do you think she really had given they were already on the rocks in their marriage?)

However, I think the only reason this nonsense got any credibility was that Clinton at the time was using the FBI and the IRS to harrass anyone who opposed him. So a bullshit story to try to find a way to embarrass or annoy an opponent- yeah, that's totally believable.

Except it looks like even the FBI wouldn't play along.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Who gives a shit?

The FBI doesn't and they triple checked. So your conjecture that he did it is bullshit hackery.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Sounds like a Neo-Con sort of thing. Arms deals with rogue states, shadowy intermediaries, plausible deniability, buckets of cash, the works.

You just described the Justice Depts' "Fast and Furious" operation to ship guns to the Mexican Drug Cartel and attack the 2nd Amendment.

Eric Holder is a "Neo-Con"

 

[ladyliberal]

This story doesn't seem to reflect poorly on Gingrich. As the story says, there is no evidence that he or his wife were soliciting a bribe. If they weren't, they are the victims of a slanderous criminal in this. Of course, this story doesn't prove that Gingrich *didn't* take bribes, but I like to think that should be our default assumption about public officials.

I think the story also reflects well on the FBI. They were investigating the President's chief political opponent in a situation involving international intrigue and national security. How easy would it have been for them to leak their investigation, as the FBI did innumerable times under Hoover? Instead, they apparently concluded their investigation without harassing, blackmailing, or embarrassing Gingrich.

I'm not sure where the allegations are that the FBI and IRS harassed Clinton's enemies. I can't find any serious allegations online, which is saying something since it is easy to find allegations that Clinton dealt drugs and committed rape and murder.

While this story doesn't seem to seriously challenge Gingrich's morals, I think it might call into question his political viability. I've heard many people say that one of Gingrich's strengths is that he has been thoroughly vetted. My thinking has always been that even though Gingrich has done much that we know about he has also done much that is not public. Why should we assume that there aren't more politically unfortunate episodes in Gingrich's complicated past? There are probably a dozen stories like this that will crop up between now and election day if Gingrich is the nominee.