Following in the footsteps of his son, Congressman Ron Paul didn’t mince words Sunday morning when he attacked GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich and urged him to apologize for accepting $1.6 million from mortgage lender Freddie Mac. While the Texas congressman explained that Newt is not required by law to return the money, he called his dealings with the government-controlled company “immoral.” The Hill reports:
"I wouldn't have taken their money just for the fact that I think it's an immoral thing," Paul said Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet the Press."But Congressman Paul's criticisms didn’t stop there. He also emphasized how the two Republican frontrunners -- Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney -- are renowned flip-floppers."Plus I don't like this idea that you're going to influence somebody who is a pseudo-government agency," he said.
During Saturday night's GOP debate in Iowa, Gingrich defended his relationship with Freddie Mac, telling Paul that, "I was never a spokesman for any agency, I never did any lobbying for an agency."
"I offered strategic advice, I was in the private sector, I was doing things in the private sector," Gingrich said in response to Paul's questioning over his role.
"They have more or less admitted that they have changed their positions," he said. "It's not that they are in denial it's just that they admit that they were on one side of a position here and on another position another time."While Paul sees Romney and Gingrich as ideologically similar he called the former Massachusetts governor "more diplomatic" while it is clear the former Speaker can "rub people the wrong" way.
"I don't think any of my opponents represent change."