Gen. Franks caught with hand in cookie jar.

[lumberingbear]

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2005/10/tommy_frank_pat.html#more

William M. Arkin on National and Homeland Security

Tommy Franks: Paid Patriot

Retired Gen. Tommy Franks -- nominee to be czar of just about everything; Midland, Texas high school graduate one year ahead of First Lady Laura Bush; Republican Convention speaker; Presidential Medal of Freedom wearer and frequent public reader of the Constitution -- has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

The Southern New Jersey Courier-Post reported this week that veterans were angered and initially taken aback when they learned that almost $25,000 in taxpayer money was being used to help pay Franks's $75,000 speaking fee for an upcoming October 29 appearance in Camden.

Since his withdrawal from the military in 2003, Franks has been on the speaker circuit. A quick check on the web found him giving speeches at the Networked Economy Summit (October 2003), National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation (December 2003), American Farm Bureau (December 2003), Los Angeles University of Judaism’s 2004 Public Lecture Series (February 2004), International Futures Industry Conference (March 2004), TechNet International 2004 (May 2004), Bethesda Foundation (May 2004), Florida Forum (October 2004), Independence Bowl Foundation (December 2004), Credit Union National Association Governmental Affairs Conference (February 2005), Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. (August 2005), The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation (September 2005), and the Community Bankers Association of Oklahoma (September 2005). His appearances are open to print press only -- no radio or television -- and tape recorders are not allowed.

In May, the Tampa Bay business journal reported that Franks was sharing his artillery expertise by joining the board of directors of Outback Steakhouse, where he is getting $60,000 in cash and stock, as well as $100,000 in restricted stock.

According to Franks's bio and other sources, the General serves on the boards of directors of the National Park Foundation, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Foundation, is an advisor to the Central Command Memorial Foundation and the Military Child Education Coalition. He is Honorary National Chair of the Flight 93 National Memorial fundraising campaign, and a spokesman for the Salute America's Heroes Foundation and the Southeastern Guide Dogs Organization. He isn't running for anything.

[fooj]

1. He's a crook, just like the rest of them.

Peace.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. Love those cookies

now are you saying any of this is illegal? Excessive, perhaps but not a real cookie jar bad-boy scenario?

[lumberingbear]

4. He wouldn't be getting these cookies...

if it hadn't been for this illigal war and off of the lives of 2000 soldiers. A moral thing!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

10. Yeah those are some BAD cookies for sure.

[RobertSeattle]

3. Right Wing Payback

STFU (about all the bad stuff you know about Bush/Cheney) Tommy and we'll make sure you get plenty of $$$.

[afdip]

5. hey, repuke shills don't come cheaply . . . . .

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. This is the way they've been laundering public money for years.

[RobertSeattle]

7. And of course these "Speaking Fees" are tax deductible too

[ozarkvet]

8. Midland Lee Graduate

He's a Midland Lee Graduate, not Midland High, as is Laura.

Am I the only one here who played HS Football?

Confusing Midland High and Midland Lee is like confusing OSU and OU. Heresy!

[lonestarnot]

9. Crook! Liar! Thief! Bitch!

[BikeWriter]

11. Shinseki told Congress we needed the troops Zinni advised...

Rummy and Wolfowitz fired Shinseki and Franks was their "yes" man.