Peter Hasson, DCNF
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich contacted a Federal Communications Commission official about a company seeking a lucrative deal with the federal government, emails obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation show. Gingrich has said he has “nothing” to do with the company.
The former house speaker has raised eyebrows with his public advocacy for a nationalized 5G policy at the same time that wireless company Rivada Networks has pushed the administration to allow them to provide 5G spectrum from the Department of Defense on a wholesale basis.
In his email to the FCC official reviewed by the DCNF, Gingrich appeared to refer to Rivada as “us.”
Rivada boasts a stable of political connections including Karl Rove and former Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.
Gingrich, a Republican, told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade in April 2019 that he had no ties to Rivada after former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie accused the former speaker of acting in concert with Rivada.
“You also say you have nothing to do with Rivada, right?” Kilmeade asked.
“Nothing,” Gingrich answered.
But emails obtained by the DCNF show that Gingrich reached out to an FCC official about Rivada in November 2019, after Rivada CEO Declan Ganley sent Gingrich an email complaining about a former FCC staffer who had been sharply critical of Rivada.
“He even sat in on your meeting with [the FCC official],” Ganley wrote to Gingrich, referring to the former FCC staffer.
Gingrich forwarded the email to the official, adding: “Were you aware of the contempt [the former FCC staffer] has for us? Is this the kind of advice you are leaning on? No wonder Huawei is kicking the stuffings out of us.”
The contrast between Huawei offering medical equipment to help countries while AT&T has its handout for billions from the taxpayer is very disturbing. Our once great telecommunications companies have lost the entrepreneurial drive that let them lead the world.
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) March 24, 2020
“I email or talk regularly with Declan Ganley because he is brilliant. I have never advocated for Rivada,” Gingrich told the DCNF when asked if he had coordinated with Rivada or contacted policymakers on the company’s behalf.
Despite the emails, Gingrich maintained that he “never contacted the FCC on behalf of Rivada. I was complaining about a staffer who was dishonest.”
When asked whether his use of the word “us” suggested that he was coordinating with Rivada, Gingrich replied “no.”
Ganley told the DCNF in an email that “neither Rivada Networks, nor anyone associated with Rivada Networks, has ever had a commercial relationship with Former Speaker Gingrich.”
“I have never asked Mr. Gringrich to speak on Rivada’s behalf to anyone, and he was not doing so here,” he added.
The DCNF was provided the emails on the condition that the source as well as the FCC officials could remain anonymous.
For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- The Florida candidate laser-focused on eradicating horrific animal crimes - March 22, 2024
- Sabo: ‘Rush was our GOAT, there was no equal and he made it look easy’ - February 18, 2024
- Dana Bash appears to want to crawl out of her own skin when Ramaswamy ‘goes there’ on J6 - December 7, 2023
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!