TPM reported earlier on the Romney camp going all-out on the “ethics report” issue — the document summarizing the intrigues that led to Gingrich receiving a fine while he was in the House, and the idea that Nancy Pelosi saw confidential piles during the writing of it that could be released as a bombshell “October Surprise.”
Although Newt himself trafficked in these theories somewhat back in December when he was on the rise and picking a fight with Nancy Pelosi seemed politically smart, his spokesman has now dismissed the issue. According to the HuffPo’s Jon Ward, Newt spokesman R.C. Hammond called the issue “an illusion somewhere in Stuart Stevens’ mind” that was prompted by “panic of losing the South Carolina primary.” (Stuart Stevens is one of Romney’s senior strategists).
The candidate himself said, “I refuse to take seriously any request from the Romney campaign to disclose anything.”
