ABC News points out that Newt was first to release jobs plan

When Tim Pawlenty released his jobs plan a couple of months ago, the media kept saying he was the first candidate to do so. And now Jon Huntsman has received the same treatment, with some claiming his was the first plan.

But Arlette Saenz of ABC News sets the record straight:

But there’s one jobs plan that hasn’t received much coverage this election cycle – the one released by Newt Gingrich back in May. The former speaker of the House, who announced his run for the presidency in May via Twitter, released his “Jobs and Prosperity Plan” just two days after announcing his candidacy.

Gingrich crafted an economic plan with the intent of instantly boosting new business investment in the United States. His plan proposes eliminating the capital gains tax, bringing the corporate tax rate to 12.5 percent, shifting to an optional 15 percent flat tax for all Americans, and abolishing the death tax on a permanent basis, all while reforming the FDA and EPA and repealing Sarbanes Oxley, Dodd-Frank and President Obama’s healthcare plan.

In his campaign, Gingrich has also emphasized the need to expand initiatives in developing American energy as a mechanism for creating new jobs.

These weren’t new ideas for Gingrich, who in 2009 released a jobs plan with similar goals -- shifting the corporate tax rate to 12.5 percent, ending the capital gains and death taxes, and calling for a balanced budget and an American energy plan. Gingrich also held a Real Jobs Summit in December 2009 at the same time President Obama held the White House Jobs Summit.

Saenz also had this quote from Newt's spokesman:

“The question isn’t what to do, it is, Who can do it? We need leadership now that can implement the right policies to put Americans back to work. Republicans should act now on several fronts and let the President explain why his policies create more food stamps than they do paychecks,” R.C. Hammond, spokesman for Gingrich, said.