Former House Speaker Gingrich seeking to annul second marriage

ATLANTA - Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is asking the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta for an annulment of his second marriage, which ended in divorce after 19 years. <br> <br> Gingrich&#39;s second wife, Marianne Gingrich, said Thursday through her attorney that she learned of the request this week when she received a letter from the archdiocese. <br> <br> The letter, given to The Associated Press, says the annulment request is based on the fact Marianne Gingrich was previously married. Archdiocese officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment. <br> <br> Marianne Gingrich told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ``We were married 19 years, and now he wants to say it didn&#39;t exist.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The couple was divorced in April 2000, nine months after Newt Gingrich filed for divorce and acknowledged a seven-year affair with Callista Bisek, a former congressional aide. Gingrich and Bisek were married in August 2000. <br> <br> Gingrich&#39;s spokesman, Rick Tyler, said the former House Speaker had no comment on the issue. <br> <br> John Mayoue, Marianne Gingrich&#39;s attorney, says his client will request a meeting with church officials because no one has told her why the annulment was requested. <br> <br> Marianne Gingrich says she and Newt were were married in a Lutheran Church and had no involvement with the Catholic church during their marriage.