bale embroiled this week in a controversy involving the federal home loan mortgage corporation, aka freddie mac. freddie mac buys mortgages from banks, and sells them to investors as security. that frees up capital for banks to issue more mortgages, namely, long-term fixed- interest rate mortgages. what is the connection with gingrich? gingrich worked for six years with high level officials at freddie mac. gingrich was paid to coach freddie mac officials on how to talk to conservative lawmakers, to garner their support to keep freddie mac alive. gingrich's total compensation for his services to freddie ranged between 1.6 and $1.8 million. gingrich says he acted as an advisor to freddie mack, but never lobbied lawmakers on freddie mac's baffle. >> advice over long period of time. someone aimed at how to you explain what you're doing? i did no lobby of any kind. >> critics accuse gingrich of political hypocrisy. but taking money from freddie mac as a private citizen and then blaming freddie mac for causing the housing crisis, when he was a presidential candidate. others accuse gingrich of using h