Gingrich receives $100K congressional pension

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is receiving a congressional pension of more than $100,000 per year from his two-decade career in Congress.

Gingrich, a former House speaker, is among 15,000 retirees who are paid more than $100,000 in annual federal pension benefits, Bloomberg discovered using a Freedom of Information Act request.

The report notes that the public pension system is facing a $674.2 billion shortfall and that the GOP is calling for cuts to benefits.

Former Rep. Robert Michel (R-Ill.) is collecting $211,452, the fourth highest total in the system. Former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.) is paid $106,512, while former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D) is reaping in $105,804, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) is getting $144,432 and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) is getting $110,352, the report states.

---