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George W. Bush Charged Wounded Vets Group $100k for Speech
CNN ^ | 7/9 | Tom LoBianco

Posted on 07/09/2015 3:22:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Former President George W. Bush is under fire for charging $100,000 to speak to a group of veterans wounded in a pair of wars he started when he was in office, just the latest front in a political battle over speaking fees that has hit both sides of the aisle.

Members of the Texas-based Helping a Hero charity told ABC News that Bush charged $100,000 for his 2012 speech at a charity fundraiser for veterans who lost limbs in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. The former president was also given use of a private jet at a cost of $20,000 and former First Lady Laura Bush was paid $50,000 to speak to the group last year.

The fees infuriated one of the board members, who told CNN Wednesday that Bush should not have accepted any money.

"The point here is that a leader should not charge to speak on behalf of the men that he sent into combat, at any level, let alone the commander in chief," said Eddie Wright, a Marine who lost both his hands in a 2004 rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq.

Helping a Hero builds houses for wounded veterans. But Wright and others were involved in a legal battle last year accusing some of the group's leaders of siphoning money and forcing veterans' wives to sell beauty products. The criminal complaint and a defamation lawsuit filed in response were settled out of court, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Following the reports, Helping a Hero issued a statement supporting Bush.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush43; cnnlies; medialies
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To: nickcarraway

if you wanna see the right way to do a celebrity fundraiser for veterans, take a look at what Jay Leno did back in 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFROqAgqM5Y

the relevant part begins at 18:44, but the whole video is worth a watch if you like the Jay Leno’s Garage series.


21 posted on 07/09/2015 3:37:31 PM PDT by TangibleDisgust ("To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize." - Voltaire)
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To: nickcarraway

This sounds bogus, but even if it’s true...you no one can charge one cent more than the group is willing to pay. This is so until John Roberts orders the group to buy the product or speech.


22 posted on 07/09/2015 3:39:01 PM PDT by stevem
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To: nickcarraway

Boo Hoo Hoo, just look what he’s done to beef up their membership!


23 posted on 07/09/2015 3:39:59 PM PDT by CharleysPride (non chiedere cio che non si puo prendere -- Charlie Daniels)
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To: LouAvul

I’m not a big fan of Bush, but I didn’t think he’d do this.


24 posted on 07/09/2015 3:40:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

This report is from CNN I’ll wait on my comment to see if there is “the rest of the story”.


25 posted on 07/09/2015 3:41:07 PM PDT by PoloSec ( Believe the Gospel: how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again)
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To: maddog55

Look, I understand the “discount.”

And I understand them paying his expenses.

But, why does a charity need him to speak, if not for a very nominal fee? After all, I bet they have to work pretty hard to accumulate 100K, plus expenses, from their donors. Is GWB THAT inspiring to those who hear him? Or (and I hate to say this about him) some influence purchasing going on?

I thought GWB was inarticulate, and a spendthrift as President, but I thought he was a genuinely compassionate guy who cared about the military. Why would he take 100K? He doesn’t need it.


26 posted on 07/09/2015 3:41:14 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: nickcarraway

Meester Jeb, he no care for you gringos warriors, essay! He care for us senor!


27 posted on 07/09/2015 3:41:50 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: TangibleDisgust

This story first appeared in today’s London Daily Mail, and if anything, the details in that are worse than the CNN version. GW Bush does not need money; he made a fortune on the Texas Rangers, gets a huge government pension and office rental allowance yearly, and can get books ghostwritten that will earn him millions. I find his conduct appalling; the man takes money from a charity for grievously wounded veterans in a war he started based on false premises. He should model himself after the Max Fisher family, who endowed a series of veterans welcome home centers across the US and Gene Simmons of the rock band Kiss, who has tirelessly donated his time and gobs of money to returning vets organizations for Iraq and Afghan warriors.


28 posted on 07/09/2015 3:41:56 PM PDT by laconic
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Wrong Bush.


29 posted on 07/09/2015 3:43:11 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

I would want to hear more detail.

Not a good thing for him to have done if the story is true as written. But it’s CNN so I expect its not true. Likely false or embellished.


30 posted on 07/09/2015 3:43:19 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland
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To: nickcarraway

Big damn deal...they raised over 2 million that night....tired of seeing this spammed on the front page already.


31 posted on 07/09/2015 3:44:42 PM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '16)
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To: nickcarraway

Shh...let him run with it.


32 posted on 07/09/2015 3:45:14 PM PDT by Crim (Palin / West '16)
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To: nickcarraway

I’m waiting for the full story.


33 posted on 07/09/2015 3:45:53 PM PDT by SkyDancer ( "Nobody Said I Was Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: Cicero

$3.2 million; not a bad return. I sure someone asked the Board Member who is upset how much they would have raised without President Bush speaking....
This is such a non story. Guess what CNN; this is why they call it a fundraiser. Get the biggest name you can afford so you can raise the most money. Seems like they did well.


34 posted on 07/09/2015 3:46:12 PM PDT by martinidon
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To: Techster

Missing a lot of detail. Private donor paid the fee. Raised about $2.5 million which was considerably more than normally received at this type of event. Just trying to distract from the Clinton’s escapades.

...

I hope W fights what CNN is doing.


35 posted on 07/09/2015 3:48:22 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: nickcarraway; All

Please, pay attention! The fee was dsicounted and then it was paid BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL! The Veterans group cleared 2.5 million........they didn’t pay Bush anything!


36 posted on 07/09/2015 3:48:25 PM PDT by originalbuckeye ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: Techster
Missing a lot of detail. Private donor paid the fee. Raised about $2.5 million which was considerably more than normally received at this type of event. Just trying to distract from the Clinton’s escapades.

***********************

Thank you, Techster.

37 posted on 07/09/2015 3:52:51 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Moonman62

This isn’t a CNN story, it was reported numerous times.


38 posted on 07/09/2015 3:52:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: originalbuckeye; trisham

So what. Bush is a private individual. He can’t speak for a veterans charity without getting paid? After eight years of being president and relying on the military.


39 posted on 07/09/2015 3:55:04 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

This is not good. I can’t believe he took that money......I mean God asks him for a loan from time to time. The optics of this are horrible.


40 posted on 07/09/2015 3:57:48 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Walker for President 2016. The only candidate with actual real RESULTS!!!!! The rest...talkers!)
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