Congress unlikely to probe Gingrich's Freddie work

Congress unlikely to probe Gingrich's Freddie work

* Little appetite to dig into former Speaker's consulting

* Freddie Mac exempt from Freedom of Information requests

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Congressional committees are in no rush to investigate what U.S. Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich did for up to $1.8 million in consulting fees from troubled mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

Some activities of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, its sister government-backed housing finance company, have been examined - and criticized - by panels of lawmakers, particularly the House of Representatives committees on Financial Services and Oversight.

But there appears to be little appetite in the House or the Senate for aggressive fresh investigations into Freddie Mac's dealings with Gingrich, a former Speaker of the House.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/18/usa-campaign-gingrich-freddie-idUSN1E7AH1S920111118