Congress Will Grill Gold Dealer, Glenn Beck Sponsor

Goldline, a frequent advertiser on Fox, faces a hearing and a lawsuit.

ByABC News

July 19, 2010, 10:44 AM

July 20, 2010  -- Congress will ask top executives from Goldline, the precious metals dealer that is a major sponsor of Glenn Beck's television and radio programs, to testify about the company's aggressive sales tactics.

"My view is that these commentators are doing a disservice to their viewers," said Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat, in an interview with ABC News. " I don't know and it remains to be seen whether Goldline is doing anything illegal. It sure seems that way."

Weiner and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Illinois) announced the hearing Tuesday after an ABC News report in which some customers of Goldline described how they felt cheated by the company. Consumer complaints have also prompted an investigation by local officials in California, who said they were disturbed to hear about the high pressure approach used by Goldline and one other company, Superior Gold Group. And they have prompted a class action lawsuit, filed in South Carolina Tuesday morning against the company on behalf of customers who allege they have been ripped off.

The most pervasive complaint focused on what one former Goldline employee described as a push to convince customers to invest their money in collectable gold coins, rather than in gold bullion. Unlike bullion, the coins carry a hefty mark-up. Goldline customers told ABC News that they found the coins were also much more difficult to sell without taking a loss.

In an interview on Good Morning America, Goldline executive vice president Scott Carter responded to allegations that his company has made a fortune by persuading gold investors that collectable coins are worth buying, despite the hefty mark-up. He said the firm, which weaves its sales pitches into broadcasts by popular conservative political personalities – including two former presidential candidates and Fox News host Glenn Beck – is simply offering its customers sound advice.

","publishedDate":"2010-07-19T14:44:57Z","contributors":[{"name":"ABC News","url":"","role":"","logo":"","logoAlt":""}],"modifiedDate":"2010-07-21T18:42:42Z","section":"Blotter","wordCount":302,"relatedTags":{"heading":"Related Topics","tags":[]},"lead":{"ratio":"16x9","disableForMobile":false,"type":"xl","mediaType":"image","alignCaptionToBody":true},"ads":{"Sticky":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"RightRail":{"kvps":{"test":true}},"InlineBox":{},"InlineOutstream":{"disabled":false},"Taboola":{"position":"bottom","pageType":"article","config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","container":"taboola-below-article-thumbnails","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"}}},"featuredVideo":null,"dateline":"July 20, 2010 —","seo":{},"LivePromotion":{}},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]}},"upw":{"balanceOfPower":{"electoral":{"header":"Biden Projected to be President-Elect","candidates":{"democrats":{"id":1036,"displayName":"Joe Biden","shortDisplayName":"J. Biden","firstName":"Joe","lastName":"Biden","party":"democrats","major":true,"incumbent":false,"winner":true,"votes":306},"republicans":{"id":8639,"displayName":"Donald Trump","shortDisplayName":"D. Trump","firstName":"Donald","lastName":"Trump","party":"republicans","major":true,"incumbent":true,"winner":false,"votes":232},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"electoral","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{},"total":306,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"81,283,098","value":81283098}},"republicans":{"available":{},"total":232,"difference":{},"popular":{"displayValue":"74,222,958","value":74222958}},"other":{"available":{},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":538},"needed":{"displayText":"270 to win","displayValue":"270","value":270},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"reporting":"99% of Expected Vote Reporting"},"senate":{"header":"Senate Seat Results","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":46,"winner":false},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":50,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":2}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"senate","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"12 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"12 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"12","value":12},"total":46,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 1 seat","displayValue":"1","value":1},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"23 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"23 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"23","value":23},"total":50,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 1 seat","displayValue":"-1","value":-1},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"0 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"0 Others up for election","displayValue":"0","value":0},"total":2,"popular":{}},"total":100},"needed":{"displayText":"51 for control","displayValue":"51","value":51},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:05.390Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:05PM ET"}},"house":{"header":"House Results: Dems Retain Control","candidates":{"democrats":{"displayName":"Democrats","icon":"party-democrats","votes":222,"winner":true},"republicans":{"displayName":"Republicans","icon":"party-republicans","votes":210,"winner":false},"other":{"displayName":"Other","votes":0}},"parties":{"democrats":"democrats","republicans":"republicans"},"type":"house","votes":{"democrats":{"available":{"displayText":"233 Democrats up for election","shortDisplayText":"233 Dems. up for election","displayValue":"233","value":233},"total":222,"difference":{"displayText":"Lost 10 seats","displayValue":"-10","value":-10},"popular":{}},"republicans":{"available":{"displayText":"201 Republicans up for election","shortDisplayText":"201 Reps. up for election","displayValue":"201","value":201},"total":210,"difference":{"displayText":"Gained 10 seats","displayValue":"10","value":10},"popular":{}},"other":{"available":{"displayText":"1 Others up for election","shortDisplayText":"1 Others up for election","displayValue":"1","value":1},"total":0,"popular":{}},"total":435},"needed":{"displayText":"218 for control","displayValue":"218","value":218},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-17T18:22:02.900Z","displayValue":"December 17, 1:22:02PM ET"}},"lastUpdated":{"value":"2020-12-18T21:15:13.850Z","displayValue":"December 18, 4:15:13PM ET"},"autoUpdate":{"enabled":false,"topics":["general-elections-2020-balance-of-power"]},"electionsConfig":{}},"types":["electoral","senate","house"]}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewabcnews,wdgasec,wdgnewabcnweb,wdgnewabcnewsrollup","ns":"abcnews","pageName":"abcn:blotter:story","pageType":"story","pageUrl":"abcnews.go.com/Blotter/goldline-congress-grill-gold-dealer-glenn-beck-sponsor/story?id=11205624&page=2&userab=abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_a-818","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"abcn:site","tagID":"apage_news01","userABCookie":"abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_a-818","alertTag":"none","authors":"ABC News","authorsBureau":"none","authorsUnit":"none","dateline":"July 20, 2010 —","id":"11205624","modDate":"2010-07-21","mediaOnPage":"none","modTime":"14:42","provider":"ABC News","pubDate":"2010-07-19","pubTime":"10:44","section":"Blotter","subBrand":"none","title":"Congress Will Grill Gold Dealer, Glenn Beck Sponsor ","videoId":"none","videoName":"none","wordCount":302},"taboola":{"config":{"network":"abcnews-abcnews","mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":null,"pageTypeOverrides":{"story":{"mode":"thumbnails-a","type":"article","targetType":"mix","placement":"Below Article Thumbnails"},"home":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","container":"taboola-homepage-thumbnails","type":"home","targetType":"mix","placement":"Homepage Thumbnails"},"section":{"mode":"thumbnails-b","type":"category","targetType":"mix","placement":"Section Front Thumbnails"},"liveBlog":{"mode":"thumbnails-d","type":"other","targetType":"mix","placement":"Blog"}}}}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/Blotter/goldline-congress-grill-gold-dealer-glenn-beck-sponsor/story?id=11205624&page=2&userab=abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_a-818","vary":{"host":"abcnews.go.com","cached":true,"path":"/Blotter/goldline-congress-grill-gold-dealer-glenn-beck-sponsor/story","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","country":"us","userab":"abcn_web_article_ts-218*variant_a-818","region":"gdpr"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};