Newt Gingrich warns about 'downward spiral' of negative campaigning

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Newt Gingrich said he would seek the criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for emails suggesting that he had pressured his former wife to undergo an abortion procedure. 

The former Speaker warned that negative campaigning would send the country into a "downward spiral" during his final campaign event before the polls open Saturday morning in South Carolina.

"I'm disgusted and fed up with the vicious minds that undermined our democracy," Gingrich said of the emails, which was masked to look like a news report from CNN and distributed to prominent South Carolina conservatives.

Deputy Attorney General Bryan Stirling told the Associated Press that the chief of South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, Mark Keel, has been asked to conduct a preliminary review of the facts surrounding the controversy.

Gingrich also addressed the controversy surrounding his ex-wife, Marianne, who suggested in an interview earlier this week that her then-husband had requested an open relationship.

"I'm going to try to elevate the conversation in every way I can, both with the candidates and the news media," Gingrich said.

But Gingrich also demonstrated his ability to sharply punch back when a pro-Romney supporter in the crowd began shouting a demand to see the committee report from the House Ethics Committee's investigation. Mitt Romney and his surrogates had been demanding the report to deflect attention from the Speaker's call for Romney to release his tax records - a stumbling point for the former governor at this week's GOP debate.

Gingrich noted that the report was freely available online.

"Actually, if you did your research you would know the whole thing is available online… when you print it out and read it, let me know if you have any more questions," Gingrich said to applause from the crowd. "I assume you're for the candidate who won't release his income tax records."

He added as the protester was escorted away, "Some people are just unhappy."

Gingrich went on to urge his supporters to help him convert a lead in the polls into electoral victory Saturday. His voice, cracking from exhaustion at times throughout his comments, echoed throughout the bottom deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown, a decommissioned aircraft carrier that overlooks Fort Sumter in the Charleston Harbor.

"I have to appeal to you … to vote, because the polls don't count if you don't vote," Gingrich said. "I do not believe we can defeat Barack Obama with a Massachusetts moderate."

Gingrich later suggested a victory in South Carolina would propel his campaign to the Republican nomination.

"If conservatives come together, Callista and I go to Florida where I think if we win then we'll win another decisive victory," Gingrich said.

Gingrich's staff continued the criticism of Romney after the event ended, knocking the former governor for planning an appearance at a Greenville, S.C., ham restaurant at the same time Gingrich was scheduled to appear Saturday morning.

A Gingrich spokesman, noting that his team's event had been "on the books for weeks," said they would be "more than happy to treat Gov. Romney to ham" at the event.

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