200,000 Bill for Clinton to chat [GETS TURNED DOWN!]

Sunday people ^ | April 14, 2002 | na

[Roscoe Karns]

FORMER US President Bill Clinton has outraged MPs by demanding £200,000 to speak at a lunch in the Commons.

He wanted £178,000 - 250,000 dollars - just to fly across the Atlantic for a slap-up meal.

And travel and hotel expenses for Mr Clinton and the two aides he insisted on bringing with him would have cost MPs another £20,000 on top. Now Parliamentary journalists who organise the lunches with a senior politician as guest of honour have turned Mr Clinton down.

Press Gallery Chairman Chris Fisher said: "We have Cabinet ministers queuing up to speak to us for nothing. And we are not going to start paying people now.

"This would be extraordinarily bad value for money. As someone who often admired Bill Clinton when he was in office I'm very disillusioned."

When organisers sent the invitation to Mr Clinton they were astonished by an e-mail from his lecture representative Beth Gargano.

She wrote: "I understand you are interested in inviting President Clinton to address your luncheon series.

"The fee for trans- atlantic engagements is $250,000 plus first-class round-trip expenses for three. President Clinton travels with two aides."

Normally the lunches cost £28 a head.

But, with around 100 normally attending, diners would have had to pay around £2,000 a head to cover Mr Clinton's fee and expenses. This is the first time an invited guest has ever demanded cash to turn up.

The most recent speaker - at last Wednesday's lunch - was Lords Chief Whip Lord Williams of Mostyn.

Other VIPs who have recently attended free include former Premier Sir Edward Heath, EU President Romano Prodi, ex-Chancellor Ken Clarke and top Tory Michael Portillo.

Cabinet ministers Stephen Byers, Estelle Morris and Patricia Hewitt have also been happy to speak for nothing.

Organisers are particularly furious because Mr Clinton is often in Britain anyway to visit his university student daughter Chelsea.

[SunStar]

"This would be extraordinarily bad value for money. As someone who often admired Bill Clinton when he was in office I'm very disillusioned."

Bwahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!1

[Bahbah]

It is somewhat comforting to me that they turned him down.Heheheh

[Revolting cat!]

"This would be extraordinarily bad value for money. As someone who often admired Bill Clinton when he was in office I'm very disillusioned."

Your first foolish mistake is in bold above, bloke!

[glock rocks]

Organisers are particularly furious because Mr Clinton is often in Britain anyway to visit his university student daughter Chelsea.

so save yourself the grief and boot hub's girl out.

[onedoug]

The Spent One.

[cricket]

"Organisers are particularly furious because Mr Clinton is often in Britain anyway to visit his university student daughter Chelsea."

Guess they just thought he would check his calendar for when he plans to be there.

The fact that they are surprised about the crude and crass of Bill Clinton's response; is even more surprising.

One good thing here. . .they slapped him down. . .bet he is reaallllly mad about this embarassment.

They made him look bad. . .

[stands2reason]

bttt

[Revolting cat!]

Here's a related question to you tax experts. When he does speak for no fee at university campuses, do you think (or know) if he's entitled to write his supposed cost of those appearances (i.e. the customary fee that he agrees not to charge) off his taxes, at, say, $200,000 a pop? Isn't this what popular entertainers do when they agree to appear for free at charity events and such?

[reformed_democrat]

They made him look bad. . .

Nahhh. He'll just claim they never invited him, he doesn't remember getting the invitation, it all depends on the meaning of "invite," and besides, he was busy that day.

[Ann Archy]

Memo to MP.s: He only tried to screw you for 200,000.......he screwed us for BILLIONS and he screwed Israel for their ENTIRE COUNTRY!! Go get some Cockney if you want White Trash at your thingy.

[Paleo Conservative]

I'm surprized that Clinton didn't send a bill to Congress for speaking fees for his State of the Union addresses.

[anniegetyourgun]

ROFL!

[Ronin]

ROTFLMAO

This is sooooo rich!!!

[Liz]

indexing

[Liz]

..... Clinton is greedy and I'm glad they finally found out ping........

[Liz]

........Clinton is doing a little laundry ping.......

[spectre]

They should have "thrown in" a couple of interns, and he would have waived his travel fee.

sw

[JohnPaulJones]

WoW the Brits are just waking up to see how big of a scumbag Clinton really is!

[fhayek]

You wave £200,000 through Harlem, and you never know what you will turn up.