Gingrich: Prosecute Those Behind Fake Emails

    Calls them "despicable." Says they "undermine our capacity for self-government."

    ORANGEBURG, South Carolina—Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich responded to a fake email alleging he forced his ex-wife to abort a baby by calling on the perpetrators to be prosecuted.

    "It’s an unfortunate fact that there are elements in American politics that are negative and dishonest — and to use a word I used last night, despicable," he told reporters at a press conference here today.

    "They are not clever, they're deeper and undermine our capacity for self-government. If we can find out who they are, I would urge the government to prosecute them. I am sick of the kind of dishonest campaigning that you see that go out and fake somebody else's material for the purpose of causing trouble 24 hours before a primary. This is not worthy of our children or grandchildren. It's not worthy of America. It's not funny. This is not a game. It undermines our capacity to govern ourselves."

    The offending email: