NBC News is reporting that George W. Bush charged a disabled veterans group $100,000 to attend a charity event in Houston in 2012.
The news division also reported that the former president’s wife, Laura, was paid $50,000 to attend the previous year’s event.
Robert Clark, chairman of the board for Helping a Hero, justified the payments, saying that the former first couple was worth it because their visits raised “significant funds” for the charity.
“His presence was appreciated by the veterans and supporters of the organization,” Clark told NBC.
NBC claimed that neither Bill Clinton nor Jimmy Carter ever charged a veterans group to speak.
The Bush’s fees, though, pale in comparison to the fees that Bill and Hillary Clinton typically receive. Hillary has been known to get $225,000 and more per speech, and Bill has even earned in the millions. In May, the pair made one million dollars in one day. In the last 16 months, the Clintons made at least $30 million on the speaking circuit.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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