How to Divorce Your Wife While She’s Recovering from Cancer Surgery and Other Wisdom Sean Duffy Can Get from Newt Gingrich

Sean Duffy, the former Republican Ashland County District Attorney will welcome disgraced ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich to a big-money Wausau fundraiser Friday. Duffy has not said whether it was Gingrich’s repeated adultery, ethics imbroglios or his negotiating of his divorce from the first of his three wives while she lie in a hospital bed recovering from cancer surgery that inspired Duffy to bring Gingrich to Wisconsin.

Gingrich, who has previously come to Wisconsin to support Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s gubernatorial campaign, resigned from the House after being hit with a $300,000 fine for ethics violations. The fine remains to only time in American history a Speaker of the House was fined for this type of misconduct. Not only did Gingrich provide ethically-challenged in his professional life, but also his personal life was riddled with scandal, including:

Gingrich Tried to Negotiate a Divorce from His Wife While She Was Still in the Hospital for Cancer. “That fall, while she was in the hospital recovering from surgery for uterine cancer, he appeared at her bedside with a yellow legal pad outlining the details for their divorce.” [Vanity Fair, 7/89]

Gingrich Cheated on His First Wife. Vanity Fair reporter Gail Sheehy interviewed a former Gingrich mistress from the time of his first marriage who confirmed the affair, adding, “Gingrich threatened her: ‘If you ever tell anybody about this, I’ll say you’re lying.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/95]

Gingrich Cheated on His Second Wife While Presiding Over President Clinton’s Impeachment. “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.” [Associated Press, 3/9/07]

Gingrich Was Deadbeat Dad Who Refused to Pay Child Support and Alimony. “Shortly after that infamous encounter, Gingrich refused to pay his alimony and child-support payments. The First Baptist Church in his hometown had to take up a collection to support the family Gingrich had deserted.” [Salon, 8/28/98]

Sounds like a regular family values party if I ever saw one!