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 ...
I wonder how much he donated to the group.
I think that photo is even more representative of the character of GW Bush than the one of him holding hands with and kissing the Saudi King.
Why create a tax liability by charging money, if you were going to donate it back?
I don't think Bush needs the money.
I doubt he'd tell anyone how much he gives away to charities each year -- but I have little doubt it's more than $100,000. If he gave speeches for free, every right-leaning organization from the local right to life group on up would ask him to speak, and the 99.99% he'd need to turn down would be PO'ed. This organization made more than twice the following year's net, it happened a few years ago, and Bush "probably" gave the money away so I don't see why this is even news -- except to show how Republicans are mean.
We'll never know since the source has failed to go that extra step.
With that being said, I'm sure there is more to this account than what what CNN is reporting........
No he doesn't and his dedication and support to our wounded warriors is beyond reproach............
Good for him. Its not like he is doing anything else.
If we could raise a couple of million, do you think we could pay him to just go away?
I am not suggesting that we put a contract on him. I was thinking we could just pay him to shut up and stay on his property or live like a former member of In Synch.
I’m with you. I have a lot of problems with Bush’s presidency; I still, however, have a great deal of respect for him as a person. There’s not been a more decent, humble man to hold that office in a long time. (That humility and decency likely contibuted to some of his shortcomings in office, but that’s a discussion for another day.)
Point is, he probably gets hundreds of requests like this a year. His presence is obviously a big draw and worth the investment, and some orgs are willing to pay for that. Judging by what I know about Mr. Bush, there are probably scores of things he does every year, pro bono, that we don’t ever hear about.
He made them a lot money and essentially took a small cut.
Meh, probably standard practice. But it doesn’t look good. I’m sure Jeb is just thrilled, LOL.
This was not a “right leaning group,” it was veterans.
If he was a feature speaker to help them get funds, I’m pleased to hear it.
As for the pocket/deduct transaction, it’s always more charitable to decline to accept, IMHO.
Are you saying George Bush didn’t try to ram amnesty down our throats....?
It must have been a horrible nightmare then.
Or I just imagined it.
link or story?
“Are you saying George Bush didn’t try to ram amnesty down our throats....?
It must have been a horrible nightmare then.
Or I just imagined it.”
Why not...you just imagined what I was saying...
Exactly. This will be the new answer and defense for the Clinton’s enormous speaking fees. I can just hear it now when asked, “Yeah, but Bush took money from veterans.” Plus, let’s not be so sure it is true and how do we know GWB didn’t turn around and donate it back or maybe to another charity? GWB might be a lot of things but something he never displayed was greed, in fact, he was too humble.
With a story from the Left there’s always what they leave in and what they leave out.
Bad judgment, sorry to say. Does not pass the smell test; bad optics.
Then the title to this post is a lie. Wonder if the CNN report was a blatant lie, too?
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