Michelle Obama's $1.5 million entourage

WorldNetDaily ^ | August 4, 2009 | Drew Zahn

[RobinMasters]

The first lady of the United States is not elected, has no constitutional duties and receives no salary, but that doesn't mean the position is without its privileges – including a staff of 22 White House employees who make a combined nearly $1.5 million per year.

Various journalists have scoured the White House's annual report to Congress on the West Wing payroll and listed those names that serve as members First Lady Michelle Obama's staff. Combined, their salaries total $1,495,700.

By comparison, a similar examination of the 2008 payroll, printed in the Washington Post, shows First Lady Laura Bush tallied 17 staffers, who combined made roughly $1.28 million.

News of so many taxpayer-funded salaries attending the first lady – which doesn't include the White House servant staff or the Secret Service detail assigned to the first family – has prompted some commentators to question if so many staffers are necessary.

"[Michele Obama] doesn't perform any official duties. But this hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession," writes author Paul Williams in a July 7 editorial. "Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary. How things have changed!"

[jughandle]

Holy cow! In that fourth picture she makes everyone look tiny.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Girlfriend has a figure that can only be described as “Panamax”.

[wolfcreek]

Wonder who wiped her ass before she became queen.

[Vaquero]

[Vaquero]

[grey_whiskers]

A large staff is needed to brush her shiny coat, attend to her hoofs, make sure the feed bag is filled with oats and alfalfa, hot walk her outside her stable, and saddle her up daily.

C'mon. This stuff is only $6.95 a bottle:

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

OMG Who put the rubber raft in her dress?

...and what's with the lavender briefing book, Mr. Masculine?

[grey_whiskers]

Consider that picture STOLEN.

[Red in Blue PA]

ROFLOL!

[bjorn14]

Here is the list:

$140,000
Frye, Jocelyn C. (DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)

$113,000
Rogers, Desiree G. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY)

$102,000
Johnston, Camille Y. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE FIRST LADY)
Winter, Melissa E. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)

$90,000
Medina, David S. (DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)

$84,000
Lelyveld, Catherine M. (DIRECTOR AND PRESS SECRETARY TO THE FIRST LADY)

$75,000
Starkey, Frances M. (DIRECTOR OF SCHEDULING AND ADVANCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)

$70,000
Sanders, Trooper (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST LADY)

$65,000
Burnough, Erinn J. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY SOCIAL SECRETARY)
Reinstein, Joseph B. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY SOCIAL SECRETARY)

$62,000
Goodman, Jennifer R. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SCHEDULING AND EVENTS COORDINATOR FOR THE FIRST LADY)

$60,000
Fitts, Alan O. (DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADVANCE AND TRIP DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRST LADY)
Lewis, Dana M. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT AND PERSONAL AIDE TO THE FIRST LADY)

$52,500
Mustaphi, Semonti M. (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY TO THE FIRST LADY)

$50,000
Jarvis, Kristen E. (SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR SCHEDULING AND TRAVELING AIDE TO THE FIRST LADY)

$45,000
Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)
Tubman, Samantha (DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,SOCIAL OFFICE)

$40,000
Boswell, Joseph J. (EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)

$36,000
Armbruster, Sally M. (STAFF ASSISTANT TO THE SOCIAL SECRETARY)
Bookey, Natalie (STAFF ASSISTANT)
Jackson, Deilia A. (DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE FIRST LADY)

[Labyrinthos]

Putting that nearly 1.5 million into some perspective, it breaks down to nearly $68,000 a year per staff member. It might be interesting to know just what the taxpayer is getting for that money.

Laura Bush paid and average of over $75,000 for each of her staffers. Within the scheme of things this is much to do about nothing; then again, what do you expect from World Nut Daily.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

But, but, but, the news media tells us that she is dazzlingly beautiful. How could this be???

[Sisku Hanne]

I do not begrudge a first lady *some* staff. They are supposed to be "diplomats"... ambassadors of the White House, if you will. That said, Michelle needs to kick that hideous fashion consultant to the curb and start dressing like someone who is the diplomatic representative of the most powerful office in the land, instead of looking dressing like a clueless 24 year old fashion victim. "Innappropriate" does not even begin to describe 95% of her wardrobe. And note to the lady in the blue suit... go up two sizes, and choose a different cut!!

That said, I'd love to know what all those people actually do. Are they also counting the staff of senior staffers? I can't believe Laura had that many staff, either (you know how it was always spun the worst possible way for Pres. Bush & Laura). Are they measuring by the same yardstick?

[PghBaldy]

She is not elected that is true. However, she tends to perform duties for the nation- entertaining foreign leaders. The answer is probably to give the Prez a bigger expense acct, and let him handle it. Prez is Head of Govt AND Head of State (split up in many nations as PM and Prez).

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Imagine the outrage is Laura Bush had a $200,000 staff. The media screams if a Republican first lady gets an ice cream cone on the govt. dime.

I wonder what it cost when First Lady Hitlery was using Air Force One's backup jet to go to Europe and Australia every other week. That wasn't official business, the news touted proudly that she and Chelsea were shopping and lounging on the beach.

Michelle needs a personal staff about as much as I do.

[SueRae]

She even missed a button, the whole thing is lopsided. Bad pic all the way around.

[cake_crumb]

"On another thread, a poster pointed out that Laura Bush was +/- 1 staffer from Michelles numbers."

According to this article, Michelle beats Laura 22-17.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Way too many people think that being a boss means that you get to use the US Govt. as your own personal vacation fund. There are GS-13s and -14s WAY WAY lower in the food chain that do it so egregiously that it isn’t even funny.

[MissMagnolia]

Lately, I’ve had many opportunities to say “So, how’s that Obamanomics working for you?” I usually get a dirty look rather than a verbal response.

[Iscool]

Now there’s a trend setter...Garbage bags in yellow...Wonder if they come in pink and baby blue...