FBI considered a sting aimed at Newt Gingrich in 1997

http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/fbi-considered-a-sting-aimed-at-newt-gingrich-in-1997/2011/12/15/gIQAT7B1wO_story.html?hesbatman

It is a curious case in the annals of the FBI: The bureau considered a sting operation against then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich after sifting through allegations from a notorious arms dealer that a $10 million bribe might get Congress to lift the Iraqi arms embargo.

The FBI ended up calling off the operation in June 1997. It decided there was no evidence that Gingrich knew anything about the conversations the arms dealer was secretly recording with a man who said he was acting on behalf of Gingrich’s then-wife, Marianne, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.