Gingrich seeks annulment of marriage to Marianne
By DUANE D. STANFORD
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich has asked the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta to annul his marriage to second wife Marianne Gingrich, whom he divorced in 1999.

In a letter provided by Marianne Gingrich dated April 30, Monsignor David P. Talley informed her that Newt Gingrich based his request for annulment on the fact that Marianne had been married previously.

"We were married 19 years, and now he wants to say it didn't exist," Marianne Gingrich said of the former speaker, adding that neither were Catholic.

Newt Gingrich and archdiocese officials declined to confirm the request.

Gingrich is now married to Callista Bisek, with whom he admitted to having a six-year affair. Bisek's religious affiliation could not be confirmed, but she has sung for the National Shrine Choir at Catholic University in Washington.

According to church law, a Catholic is not allowed to receive Holy Communion if married to someone whose previous marriage has not been annulled.

An annulment must be approved by a tribunal and court of appeals within the local archdiocese. Church officials point out that annulment within the Roman Catholic Church is unrelated to annulment or divorce proceedings in civil court. An annulment has no bearing on the legitimacy of children within the marriage, nor does it deny the existence of the marriage. The only question is whether the marriage was a proper covenant made before God. Gingrich married Marianne Ginther in 1981, a year after his divorce from first wife Jackie Battley. It is unclear whether Battley received a similar request for annulment. If Gingrich's previous marriages are declared null, he and Bisek could ask that the Catholic church recognize their marriage, church officials said.

Gingrich served metro Atlanta's 6th Congressional District for 20 years, leading House Republicans in 1994 to their first majority in 40 years.

Oh, that wacky Newt, trying to have it both ways. The body of Callista AND the body of Christ.

Since neither party in his first marriage was Catholic, why is he even submitting annulment papers to the Catholic Church? Is his divorce lawyer testing some sort of new legal technicality, the "Our marriage was never recognized before God anyway, so those 19 years never really happened" clause?

Oh, I see, it's Callista who's asking Newt for the annulment because she can no longer receive communion, being married to a man who was previously married, and being in the choir and all. Just add this to the list of "Ways to Bring the Catholic Church into the Third Millennium." Or the Second Millennium will do, at least.

Either way (old wife, new wife, lawyer, Catholic Church, whatever religion he claims as his own, political aspirations, media appeal), Newt is definitely the Bottom of the Day.

[quote]Gingrich married Marianne Ginther in 1981, a year after his divorce from first wife Jackie Battley. It is unclear whether Battley received a similar request for annulment

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Not sure about an annulment, but it IS a fact that loving, sensitive Newt was waiting at the hospital as Ms. Battley came out of her third surgery when she was fighting cancer. As soon as he was permitted to go upstairs he did, shooing their two daughters out of the room so that he could press her to agree to the divorce (after she got out of the hospital, she had to take the deadbeat to court as he was so behind in his payments the utilities were about to be turned off).....