This is what happened when two speaking series booked Bill Clinton in 2002
Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have come under heavy criticism for their unusually high speaking fees, and perhaps no example quite exemplifies the absurd maneuvering required to arrange such engagements as two separate speaker series the former president committed to in California in 2002. In addition to a $1,400 bill for a day's worth of phone calls from San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, Clinton also ran up a $700 dinner bill for two. What's more, his contract insisted a private plane transport him from San Francisco to his speaking event at the University of California at Davis — a distance of only 70 miles.
"That is the one and only time" such a demand had been made, said Jeremy Ganter, the director of programming at the Mondavi Center, which hosted the event at UC Davis.
The contracts and internal emails exchanged while securing Clinton as a speaker were made public thanks to an open-records request filed by the Republican National Committee, which has added its own scrutiny to the fees as Hillary Clinton runs for president; the records revealed that the former president's aides vetted questions before they were asked of him. "We wish we never had to give in to that. He is the only person I can think of that required it. It has never happened before or since," said Richard Henning, the speaking series manager for Foothill-De Anza Community College District, which hosted the other of Clinton's Bay Area speeches in 2002.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But that's not all the emails revealed: There was also a racist remark made by one of the speaking series organizers during negotiations with Team Clinton, in addition to the organizer's comments that the male aides who traveled with Clinton were "mistresses." Still, "the Harry Walker Agency, which [represents] Bill and Hillary Clinton, did not let any of [the organizer's questionable behavior] interfere with closing a deal," The Los Angeles Times noted. Read about the entire ordeal, here.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
The drive behind Germany's pro-Israel political consensus
Under the Radar Belief that Israel's security is a 'raison d'etre for the German republic' is under growing pressure
By The Week UK Published
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US-Israel rift widens after UN cease-fire resolution
Speed Read The U.S. declined to veto a U.N. resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Jersey first lady exits race to replace Menendez
Speed Read Tammy Murphy dropping out paves the way for Rep. Andy Kim to become the state's next senator
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia blames Ukraine for deadly ISIS Moscow attack
Speed Read Putin has ignored the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the concert hall shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump-RNC pact puts Trump legal bills ahead of GOP
Speed Read The former president has struck a deal with the Republican National Committee to put donations toward his legal bills
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Vietnam president resigns amid scandal
Speed Read Vietnam loses its second president in two years as Vo Van Thuong steps down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas migrant law in limbo after Supreme Court OK
Speed Read The law has been blocked again, mere hours after the Supreme Court allowed the state to arrest migrants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cubans rally for 'power and food' in rare protests
Speed Read The protests came after 18-hour rolling blackouts and food supply shortages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published