Dallas Morning News: Newt Gingrich's conservative group rescinds invite for Dallas topless club

[Heidi]

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, October 1, 2009

Dawn Rizos didn't need any formal recognition that The Lodge, one of the best-known topless clubs in Dallas, was a successful small business.

But when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's conservative group named her an "Entrepreneur of the Year," she was thrilled by the opportunity to accept the award in Washington, D.C., and speak about ways to help small businesses.

That all changed, however, when Gingrich realized that The Lodge was a topless bar, not some other business in Virginia. He rescinded Rizos' invitation to a private dinner and returned the $5,000 she gave to his group, American Solutions for Winning the Future.

"It was disappointing," Rizos said. "We were looking forward to sharing our political views with Newt Gingrich."

Rizos said her views include less government intervention in small business, as well as in Americans' private lives.

Neither Gingrich nor representatives from his group could be reached for comment Wednesday.

Read more

[deminks]

1. That's twice, Newtie. First a porn outfit, now this.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/newt-gingrich-awards----then-strips----entrepreneur-of-the-year-honor-to-topless-club-owner.php?ref=fpblg

We reported earlier this month that Newt Gingrich's 527 group had accidentally told porn exec Allison Vivas that she'd been awarded an "Entrepreneur of the Year" award and invited her to an "intimate event" with Gingrich. The group soon backtracked and said the whole thing was a mistake.

Well, they may have made a similar mistake again. The Dallas Morning News reports that the owner of a topless club in Texas was given the same award -- and then stripped of it.

Dawn Rizos, owner of The Lodge, which the Morning News calls "one of the best-known gentlemen's clubs in Dallas," was named an "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Gingrich's conservative group. And then Gingrich rescinded the invitation to a private D.C. dinner -- along with Rizos' $5,000 donation to Gingrich's group, American Solutions for Winning the Future.

The group's spokesman, Dan Kotman, was not immediately available for comment.

Rizos, on the other hand, was happy to talk to us. She said she'd already bought her plane tickets and booked a hotel room when Gingrich's group contacted the club yesterday to say the whole thing was a horrible mistake.

(end snip)

Whatever floats your boat, Newtie. Twice in a row though, you give and you take away. Just sayin.

[blogslut]

2. Ha! That's two for two, Newton!

But, back up for a second...

That all changed, however, when Gingrich realized that The Lodge was a topless bar, not some other business in Virginia. He rescinded Rizos' invitation to a private dinner and returned the $5,000 she gave to his group, American Solutions for Winning the Future.

Was Newt's lil' group selling awards?

[DeSwiss]

3. Its just an Award Mill.

They send out thousands of these "awards" in the hopes of getting a check in return -- $5,000 per couple. And if they think they'll lose you during the closing, they'll offer to mail you the "award" (a hunk of lucite) for $250.

Check out: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/my-dinner-with-newt/">My Dinner With Newt

- In the end, it's just another one of your basic Repuke rippoff....

K&R

[blogslut]

4. Ah, so Newt IS selling awards

Nothing but the cheesiest for Gingrich!

[zbdent]

5. Gingrich's group must have done some hiring from the

Faux News fact-checking department ...

[SpiralHawk]

6. Well, at least it's not another Republicon diaper sex scandal

Now that was disgusting.

This Gingrich-Booty kerfuffle is just another one of your garden variety Republicon Family Values boners.