WASHINGTON -- A spokesman for House Speaker Newt Gingrich yesterday defended a job given to Mr. Gingrich's wife by a company seeking to run a free-trade zone in Israel.
Marianne Gingrich was hired in September by the Israel Export Development Co., a Jerusalem-based company owned by American businessmen, to recruit U.S. businesses for what is to be a tax-free, bureaucracy-free business park in Israel, The Sun reported Saturday.
The company, made up of such business leaders as CBS Chairman Laurence Tisch and clothing magnate Sy Syms, has been promoting the idea of a free-trade zone to the Israeli government for the past two years and has lobbied members of Congress, including Mr. Gingrich, to build support. The company is seeking the Israeli government's approval to run the zone.
Tony Blankley, a spokesman for Mr. Gingrich, said yesterday that as vice president for business development, Mrs. Gingrich is being paid a base salary of $2,500 a month -- or $30,000 a year -- plus commissions for businesses she recruits for the trade zone.
The job could raise the question of whether Mrs. Gingrich, who has no prior experience in trade development, was being used to help the company gain the favor of the Israeli government, which is dependent on U.S. foreign aid. In his powerful role of House speaker, Mr. Gingrich has influence over legislation that could affect trade development.
Mr. Blankley insisted that Mrs. Gingrich's job was clear of "any appearance of impropriety" because the work did not involve the U.S. government.
"I think she's gone to the other side of the planet to avoid any connection with business in Washington," Mr. Blankley said yesterday.
Before Mrs. Gingrich was hired by IEDC, Mr. Gingrich promoted the free-trade zone idea to top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.
Mr. Blankley said Mr. Gingrich's endorsement of the free-trade zone did not contribute to IEDC's hiring of his wife.
"He's endorsed enterprise zones in America," Mr. Blankley said. "He endorsed GATT. Anywhere he goes, he endorses free-trade zones. I don't think that has any bearing on later decisions made by others."
Representatives of IEDC -- including Vin Weber, a former congressman and close Gingrich ally who was on IEDC's payroll as a consultant until six months ago -- lobbied Mr. Gingrich about the free-trade zone concept, IEDC comptroller Laurence Wald said yesterday.
Mr. Wald said his company lobbied a number of members of Congress, including Mr. Gingrich, to try to build U.S. support for the concept.
"The U.S. government has a lot of influence over the government of Israel," he said.
Mr. Wald acknowledged yesterday that Mrs. Gingrich had been hired in large measure because of her contacts.
"She knows a lot of people, in business -- and politics, of course. There's no hiding that."
He said Mrs. Gingrich was valuable in helping officials of the company "get our foot in the door so we can do our presentation."