Gingrich: Waxman using ‘Sopranos-style tactics’

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is channeling fictional mobster Tony Soprano in his handling of insurance companies, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) charged Friday.

Waxman had written insurance companies earlier this week to ask for detailed information about the companies’ executive compensation and corporate retreat practices, among other information.

That tactic reminded Gingrich of the legendary HBO character, Tony Soprano. The former House speaker tweeted:

Waxman resorts to Sopranos-style tactics w/ health insurers to silence opp. of a public option – there is an alternative http://bit.ly/ys0zK

Gingrich linked through to his column in the Washington Examiner, which expands on the “Sopranos” argument, saying that Waxman had acted “in the spirit of Joe McCarthy” in requesting the information.