Newt Gingrich scammed $7.3 million in $200 increments out of small time Republican donors and blew it on $3.3 million on private plane charters in 2008.
desmoinesdem at MYDD has the full run down, but the basic con is this:
1) Newt’s organization “American Solutions” phone banks calling lists with fundraising call disguised as a poll.
2) The “poll” hits the hot buttons. Eg. “Do you think Washington politicians are out of control?”
3) The caller offers the mark a “free” autographed copy of Gingrich’s book in exchange for a donation of $100 or $200 to help pay for a “full-page ad Gingrich plans to run in USA Today to feature his 12 solutions.”
4) If the mark says no, the caller asks if the mark would agree to let Gingrich list his/her name in his USA Today ad and if the mark would I consider a smaller donation of $50 or $75.
5) Newt laughs all the way to the bank bopping around the country in his $3.3 million per year chartered jet.