Newt Gingrich Refuses To Answer Question On Tiffany's Bill (VIDEO)

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich declined to offer an explanation when asked about a questionable Tiffany & Co. bill during an appearance on Fox News' "On the Record" on Tuesday night.

"My answer to you is, I'm not commenting on stuff like that," said the former House Speaker when the issue was raised by network host Greta Van Susteren. "I'm perfectly happy to talk about what we need to do for America and what we need to do help Americans. But I frankly don't want to play the gotcha games in Washington and I'm just not going to participate."

After being pressed on his reluctance to address the issue, Gingrich said, "Part of running for president is that everything you ever did, every person you ever knew, name it -- sooner or later somebody somewhere is going to run across it. You know, and it will show up. I just decided, if it doesn't relate to a better future for America, if it doesn't relate to helping the American people, if it doesn't relate to solving our problems, from here on out, my answer is going to be I'm not commenting on it and then people can decide if you want to play Trivial Pursuit -- that's fine. But I'm going to play trivial pursuit. I'm going to try to help this country get back on track."

The AP relays background on the controversy:

Callista Gingrich filed ethics disclosures in 2006 and 2007 that indicated she or her husband owed anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000 to Tiffany & Co. House ethics rules require disclosures of debt more than $10,000 and allow aides to report the figures in broad ranges.

The ethics form also indicated she or her husband owed between $15,000 and $50,000 to American Express.

A spokesman to Gingrich, a former House speaker who left office in 1999, did not immediately respond to a message seeking details about the debt, which was first reported by Politico.

Callista Gingrich was a clerk with the House Agriculture Committee until 2007. The most recent report on file says the couple had between $1 million and $2.5 million in assets during 2006.

Below, video of Gingrich's appearance on Fox News on Tuesday night.

WATCH:

Comments

[Fetus]

01:38 PM on 05/23/2011

My sources tell me Tiffany records show Newt spending $ 50000 (of his "own money") on a diamond and pearl studded c__k ring.

[dorzic]

02:34 PM on 05/26/2011

You got the amount correct. $50,000 is the amount figured for the interest free loan, which would normally run at 21% for Tiffany's. A $50k gift to the Gingriches from Tiffany's? Now why would Tiffany's do that? It may have something to do with regulating silver mining in US forests which fell under the rubric of the House Committee on Agriculture.

[Bob Gort]

09:16 PM on 05/19/2011

Gingrich is a bizarre piece of work and fortunately it is now apparent to just about everyone.

[paid troll]

02:00 PM on 05/19/2011

callista must be getting too old for him. #4 standing by.

[Millie Lencioni]

12:34 PM on 05/19/2011

The problem is that Newt is like a spoiled two year old. He doesn't want to talk about anything that he doesn't want to. Well isn't that just too bad. In a perfect world we could all just talk about pleasant things, but this is not a perfect world. And when you are one of the worst bullies in the political world, don't think for a minute that anyone will give you a free pass on your flaws.

[Millie Lencioni]

12:20 PM on 05/19/2011

Sounds like he was buying his way out of some huge indiscretion.

[Millie Lencioni]

12:19 PM on 05/19/2011

How do you get that much credit at a jewelry store?

[dorzic]

02:28 PM on 05/26/2011

You get it because your wife is chief clerk of the House Committee on Agriculture, under whose rubric falls regulatory decisions regarding silver mining in US forests.

[randyman99]

12:16 PM on 05/19/2011

That's soon-to-be ex-candidate Newt Gingrich.

[lisaman]

11:20 AM on 05/19/2011

That is certainly convenient, he doesn't plan to answer that question, how about his infidelities? Also off limits? Thing is, how can he run for President as the conservative and responsible candidate if we now know he didn't pay his bills? But that isn't relevant, give me a frickin' break!

[eva belle]

11:15 AM on 05/19/2011

Circumventing the issue is not going to make it go away Newt, discussing this issue shows the nature of your character.

[nothingchanges]

11:03 AM on 05/19/2011

Fiscal responsibility doesn't come under trivia in my way of thinking. Especially given the national debt.

Those that are morally bankrupt, often declare financial bankruptcy as well.

Those two issues are NOT unrelated.

[timm553]

10:49 AM on 05/19/2011

I have to wonder if all of that jewelry found it's way into his wife's hands. We should ask her/them.

[winfl55]

03:35 PM on 05/19/2011

Isn't she the one that reported it?

[timm553]

06:35 PM on 05/19/2011

She reported what she received, I'm sure, but I was wondering if she received all that was bought.

[Abbie-X]

10:27 AM on 05/19/2011

So if he gave a supporter a little bauble costing $30K or so, what business is it of ours...afterall, he is only running for president. Why should those guys be held accountable, as if they were a common man...Part of the problem is the breath of the "financial disclosure" forms required the FEC. They are a joke. If you want in on public office, you should have to make a list of ALL assests. These entries saying Michele Bachman et. al. are "worth somwhere between" $500K and $2.5 million are ridiculous. I'm not a CPA, and I bet if I saw her portfolio, I could make a closer guess. Everything needs to be on the table...Tiffany bills and all!

[rgilley]

09:54 AM on 05/19/2011

He won't play gotcha games when it is him but when it was Bill Clinton his lies and hypocracy were fair game.
This guy make me feel embarrassed for my two siblings who are Republicans.

[paid troll]

09:43 AM on 05/19/2011

when will the next installment of this story be released? if he had just answered, that would have been the end of it.

[USBrit]

01:57 PM on 05/19/2011

Or maybe not, and that is why he is reluctant to answer. Might be he has another squeezee on the side.

[paid troll]

02:00 PM on 05/19/2011

i agree, #4 standing by

[carsrus]

08:47 AM on 05/19/2011

My, my, Calista sure has expensive taste! Guess she plans to stock up on JEWELS so whan HEARTLESS Newt finds # 4, and throws her OUT, she'll at least have all the TIFFANY babules! SMART GIRL! Let's just hope she doesn't have a serious illness and have to be hospitalized!