Newt Gingrich, his presidential campaign already reeling from new defections, had a second line of credit at Tiffany’s jewelry for as much as $1 million, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
The Post said Gingrich spokesman Joe DeSantis acknowledged the second line of credit, saying that Gingrich's personal financial disclosure filing would show that Gingrich and his wife, Callista, "had a $500,000 to $1 million line of credit at Tiffany’s, that it has a zero balance, and it has been closed."
Financial disclosure forms filed by Callista Gingrich in 2006 and 2007 that came to light last month revealed that the couple owed from $250,000 to $500,000 to Tiffany & Co. Gingrich refused to say what they'd bought at Tiffany's, saying that "it is my private life."
The latest disclosure came the same day that the campaign said two top fundraising aides for Gingrich had resigned. Other key members of Gingrich's team, including his campaign manager, resigned on June 9, questioning his commitment to the 2012 presidential race after the candidate went on a Greek cruise with his wife after announcing his candidacy.
Since launching his campaign in May, Gingrich has also angered his party by criticizing a congressional Republican plan to scale back the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly and disabled.
Gingrich has tried to ease concerns among the religious right about his personal life. Gingrich is married to his third wife, with whom he had an affair while married to his second wife.