Is this the new pay to play strategy? Reward a politician AFTER his term? Would avoid illegal payment laws wouldn't it?
Obama’s $400,000 Cantor Speech Makes Him Wall Street's Newest Fat Cat
When he was president he called them “fat cats,” but now he’s likely thanking them for a huge payday.
Former President Barack Obama, less than 100 days out of office, has agreed to speak at a Wall Street conference run by Cantor Fitzgerald LP, senior people at the firm confirm to FOX Business. His speaking fee will be $400,000, which is nearly twice as much as Hillary Clinton, his secretary of state, and the 2016 Democratic Party candidate, charged private businesses for such events.
Obama has agreed to speak at Cantor’s health care conference in September and will be the keynote luncheon speaker for one day during the event, people at the firm tell FOX Business. These people say Obama has signed the contract, but the company, a mid-sized New York-based investment bank, is waiting to coordinate with the former president before making a formal announcement.
These people add that Obama could ultimately back out of the arrangement depending on his schedule and other concerns such as adverse publicity.
A spokesman for the former president didn’t return a call for comment; a spokeswoman for Cantor said the firm is not in a position to comment just yet, but would not deny that Obama has agreed to speak to the firm and at the $400,000 fee.
News of Obama’s speaking deal with Cantor, which had yet to be reported, comes as the former president made on Monday his first public comments since leaving office after an extended vacation. In those comments to college students at the University of Chicago, the president spoke broadly about the need for public service and studiously avoided any mention of the current president, Republican Donald Trump, or how he intends to make a living now that he’s a private citizen.
I mean, a President runs one of the biggest and most powerful companies for 8 years and earns a lot, LOT less than CEOs of many companies much smaller. One of the perks of the job is to earn shit loads AFTERWARDS.
All of a sudden the right have a problem with people earning money, especially black people.
Why would you bring race into this discussion? Is that the alt-left knee jerk anytime one questioned their party? I suppose my questions about Hillarys Foundation had to do with her being a woman. I supported Obama as president, doesn't mean I hold him to a standard that circumvents the laws and potential conflicts of interest.
The question is, what is acceptable as a leader? Government should be about duty not about making ridiculous money during and after. If they are being paid these fees the question has to be asked, were these promised payments after his role in order to avoid legal problems?
Noone gets a free pass if you want to maintain your liberties.
WTF are you talking about? There is a guy in the White House who is using his privately owned businesses to profit from the office of President and you're bitching that the guy who held the job for 8 years without using it as a cash cow, is now making big bucks?
Your priorities are completely screwed up.