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SALT LAKE CITY — A rather embarrassing financial mix-up with the Newt Gingrich campaign has some officials in Utah wondering if his campaign is slowing down.
Back in March, a representative from the Gingrich campaign filled out the forms to be put on the primary ballot in Utah, and gave them a check for the $500 filing fee. At the time, everything seemed in order.
"About a week and a half later, we received a notification that a check had bounced," said Mark Thomas, director of elections for the Utah Lieutenant Governor's office.
That check came from the Gingrich campaign. Thomas said he's seen things like this happen before, but, only on a city or state level.
"I've been in the office for six years, and haven't seen it for any national office," he said.
They've been trying to get in contact with the Gingrich campaign since the March 29, the day they realized where the check came from. Thomas claims they've sent several emails, made several calls, and even sent the campaign a certified letter on Monday to tell them their check bounced. They've even asked the Utah Republican Party to step in and clear up the matter. So far, they haven't heard back from the Gingrich camp.
"I get the sense that maybe they're, perhaps, winding down over there and maybe not in the full campaign mode as maybe they were," he said.
Gingrich's campaign officials still have time to get his name on the ballot.
"We do need payment before we will certify Gingrich's name for the ballot," Thomas said. "We gave them the deadline of April 20th to get that into our office."
