Fox News Suspends Gingrich And Santorum Over 2012 Presidential Plans

Fox News has suspended the contracts of paid commentators Newt Gingrich and Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum over the pair's plans to run for the GOP 2012 presidential nomination.

Dianne Brandi, the network's executive vice president of legal and business affairs, said in an interview that the channel made the move because Gingrich aides told Fox News executives that the former House speaker is stepping up his exploration of a presidential bid. While Gingrich is not expected to announce that he is forming a federal exploratory committee this week, he is expected to say in Georgia on Thursday that he is meeting with advisors to explore seeking the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, a Gingrich aide said. Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, has indicated that he plans to participate in Republican primary debates, Brandi said, "so that leads us to believe he is seriously considering running." Brandi said the network acted out of journalistic principle. "We can't have Speaker Gingrich on our payroll while he is in the midst of an exploratory committee to see if he's going to run for office," she said. "It's a clear conflict."

Fox said they'll deal with Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee if and when either of them forms an exploratory committee for 2012.