AP: Kerry earned $120,000 in speaking fees

[pezcore64]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Back when federal lawmakers legally could be paid for speaking to outside groups, John Kerry collected more than $120,000 in fees from interests as diverse as big oil, tobacco, the liquor lobby and unions, records show.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/09/elec04.kerry.fees.ap/index.html

[onehandle]

1. String 'im up!

What a bad, bad, bad, bad man.

[SahaleArm]

2. Populist Kerry - Fighting for the little guy n/t

[flpoljunkie]

10. It has been reported that Clark has done very in the speaking fee area.

I would be careful here, if I were you.

[Forkboy]

12. So how does that impress me?

I dont like Clark either :shrug:

[LuminousX]

13. Because the sins of one excuse the sins of the other

[Stuckinthebush]

3. Good for him!

I sure hope he brought some insight and new ideas to the likes of big oil and tobacco. The unions probably loved what he had to say, and the liquor lobby just seems like a fun group!

[Monte Carlo]

4. Kerry was not as filthy rich back in them days...

... rich, no doubt, but not above filling the chest a bit.

[bowens43]

5. OMG collecting legal fees for legal activities!!

Oh the humanity!!!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. 'big oil' Kerry. Yup. You nailed him.

Energy independence is a ruse obviously, and he bought all those 'green' endorsements. Pulled the wool over Teresa Heinz' eyes too. Went to Kyoto and all those global conferences just to give cover. Yop. He's big oil .... :eyes:

[TexasSissy]

7. As Clark supporter, I'm okay w/this about Kerry. He was only making

about $75K a year (not much for a federal congressman), so getting another $25K a year through speaking engagements seems perfectly fine to me. It was legal, and there has been no evidence that I've seen or heard indicating he cast any particular votes for the groups in payment of the speaking fees. The fees were warranted by the speeches themselves, so that was the "payment," not a vote on a bill.

This is a non-issue to me.

The article also states that Dean got speaking fees from groups while he was governor, and Clark got lots in speaking fees after retirement (although Clark was not a public official, so that is different, anyway).

[blm]

8. $1000 and $2000 at a time. WOW. Just like individual donors could.

Damn, Kerry comes cheaper than most it seems.

How is it that he maintained the highest liberal rating over 19 years? How is it that Kerry has been shilling for big business all these years while having a higher liberal rating than Kennedy or Kucinich, even?

How are his environmental and labor ratings so high when he was supposed to be working for corporations who paid him $1000 and $2000 for his loyalty?

How odd.

[zbdent]

9. So, he made a bunch of speeches which totaled about 1.5 times

the normal "fee" for a George H. W. Bush speech.

Please point out the big fat hairy deal for me.

[rfranklin]

11. Didn't Reagan get $2 million for one speech in Japan?

Japanese businessmen acting as surrogates for Reagan supporters giving him bonus money at the end of his stay in the White House. I believe they also gave him a new home worth a few million. Only fair since he made billions for them.

[rucky]

14. If that's the way those fools want to spend their money...

[Forkboy]

15. Well,it says "legally" right there

and to be honest,that's not that big of an amount.Just ask Reagan and Bush Sr.

[Moderator]

16. Dupe

Please continue here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=296116

Thanks,

DU Moderator