Fox News has suspended Newt Gingrich from his contributor position “effective immediately” while he jockeys to be Donald Trump’s running mate.

Fox News released a statement today announcing it has “mutually agreed” with Gingrich to suspend his contract “due to the intense media speculation about Gingrich’s potential selection” as Trump’s running mate and “to avoid all conflicts of interest that may arise.”

The timing of the announcement makes little sense -- Gingrich has repeatedly been mentioned on Fox News and elsewhere as a potential Trump running mate for months. If the network truly hoped to avoid “conflicts of interest,” it should have suspended Gingrich long ago, not mere days before Trump is reportedly set to announce his running mate.

Fox’s own personalities have been pushing Gingrich as a VP choice since Trump became the presumptive nominee. They have touted Gingrich -- the first speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to be punished by the House for ethics violations -- as “a genius,” “a conservative with bona fides,” and someone who would “bring tremendous stability, tremendous gravitas, incredible intellect,” and “judgment experience.” Fox News host Sean Hannity recently said, “I wouldn't be happy with anyone but Newt."

Gingrich was first hired by Fox News in October 1999 and left the network in spring 2011 to unsuccessfully run for president. He became a host for the short-lived Crossfire revival on CNN in September 2013; the show was canceled in October 2014. He returned to Fox News in October 2015.

Gingrich’s media career has been marked by egregious ethical violations and outrageous commentary. He has also repeatedly scammed subscribers to his email list with warnings about the Illuminati and promises of miracle cancer “cures.”

For Gingrich’s lowlights while on Fox News and elsewhere, go here, here, here, and here.