GINGRICH . . . DEMS POT-BOILING OVER $4.5 M BOOK ADVANCE

Democrats challenged an "an unprecedented, unheard-of" $4.5 million book advance from Rupert Murdoch's media empire for a series of books by incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich, alleging the deal raised influence peddling questions about Gingrich's upcoming tenure as House Speaker. House Democratic Whip David Bonior -- who's already called for an independent counsel to look into a Gingrich PAC -- led the charge by noting that the Gingrich-led House will in part determine whether the ownership structure of Murdoch-controlled Fox TV violates foreign ownership bans. (Rival network NBC has raised questions before the FCC and new legislation would give the Australian-born magnate a break.) "Mr. Gingrich needs to tell the American people: Does he intend to push legislation in the next Congress that would lift the ban on foreign ownership of U.S. TV stations?" Bonior said. At the White House, outgoing Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said the book deal was the first time a public official rece