Cooter vs Newt: Obsession and the Ethics Complaints

What really happened in the Gingrich ethics case? | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner.

After you read the above story of the ethics complaints against Newt Gingrich, you might become less convinced that Crazy Nancy Pelosi will be able to drop a bomb on him. Likely her lawyers have been trying to get her to shut up.

Apparently a former Georgia congressman, Ben Jones, aka Cooter of the Dukes of Hazzard, who lost a race against Newt in 1994, was driven to obsession. He brought forth a complaint about a political science class that Gingrich taught. This effort began a stream of bogus complaints which Newt tried to sweep out of the way in the most convenient manner possible, by admitting to some form of wrongdoing, and paying $300,000 fine. After all was said and done, the IRS exonerated Gingrich of any wrongdoing with respect to this college course and its funding.

Sarah Palin went through a similar barrage of attacks, while governor of Alaska with none of the complaints against her sticking. The business of defending herself against the charges was leading her to financial ruin, and preventing her from functioning as governor, so she resigned her post.

This kind of business from the Democrats is what scares the most competent and straightforward of people away from politics. It severely limits the pick of political candidates to those with an extremely high appetite for risk.

Expect Santorum to face a similar attacks as Gingrich and Cain, should he meet with further success on the campaign trail.

It really is time for Republicans to fight fire with fire.