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Crony Karen Hughes Rakes in $450,000 in Speaking Bribes
(Timothy J. Burger, TIME.com, October 5, 2005)
A Well-Paid 'Working Mom' How top Bush advisor Karen Hughes earned $450,000 in speaking fees after being named America's imagemaker-in-chief . . . When Karen Hughes, George Bush's new hearts-and-minds czar, made her debut trip to the Middle East last week, she repeatedly referred to herself as a "working mom." . . . Hughes did not, however, elaborate on what kind of work she's been doing since leaving Washington three years ago to spend more time with her husband and teenage son in Texas. According to the financial disclosure form Hughes filed in preparation for taking the new job, she earned $1.8 million between January 2004 and March 14, 2005, when Bush named her to the new post. Between her appointment and swearing-in, Hughes took in $450,000. . . . [COMMENT by Lorenzo: That might make a cynic think that Bush had to give her some cash under the table (via speaking honoraiums) in order to get her to cut her big time paydays and come back to the White House in order to be in place when Karl Rove gets indicted. This will be interesting to watch unfold.] . . . Hughes's paid speeches, given after her new role in the Administration was announced on March 14, have raised a few eyebrows. In April, Parker Drilling Co., a Houston oil drilling firm, paid Hughes $50,000 to appear [for an hour or so!] at what Parker spokeswoman Marianne Gooch called a private event hosted by the company's chief. On. Aug. 10, Hughes gave a speech for $30,000 to Bay Area Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, a tort-reform group, 12 days after the Senate voted to approve her nomination. In a letter to the State Department ethics advisor, Hughes said she would "ensure that my appointment to this position takes places after" that final paid speech. Though it is legal for even the closest presidential consigliere to accept speaking fees after being announced for an Administration post, some legal experts and ethics watchdogs questioned the practice. "It may be technically legal, but it certainly doesn't inspire confidence in the system," says Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, a conservative ethics group. . . . Hughes went on the payroll on Aug. 15, five days after her last paid speech, according to Johndroe. . . . For Hughes, that meant a significant pay cut. Her new government salary is $149,000.

posted by LoZo 5:29 PM