New Jersey Governor Christie describes Gingrich as 'embarrassment' over ethics violation

Washington, Jan 23(ANI): New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has described 2012 White House Republican contender Newt Gingrich as an embarrassment to the party, citing his ethics violation and pointed out that the latter was asked to quit as Speaker of the House of Representatives by his own party.

"Newt Gingrich has embarrassed the party over time. Whether he'll do it again in the future I don't know, but Governor Romney never has. He was run out of the speakership by his own party. He was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This is a guy who has had a very difficult political career at times and has been an embarrassment to the party. 'I'm not saying he will do it again in the future, but sometimes past is prologue," The Daily Mail had quoted him, as saying.

His comments came after Gingrich suggested that Romney's arguments on Bain wouldn't stand up to "a high school debater."

Gingrich suggested his own debate performance had led to his success in South Carolina.One of the reasons I think people in South Carolina voted for me is the belief that I could debate [President] Obama head to head and convey American values," ABC News quoted Gingrich, as saying.

"We need somebody who can win the debates and try to undo the damage that [the Obama campaign] will try to do with their billion-dollar campaign," he added.

Gingrich said Romney's criticism over his ethics investigation is "bizarre" because Romney's records as Massachusetts governor were "erased" from the state's computers but Gingrich's entire ethics committee report is available online.

"Gov. Romney is trying really hard to avoid answering anything. They cleansed every single computer and have no real record of how they developed [the state health care law critics call 'Romneycare']," he said. (ANI)