Former U.S. Presidents generally command high price tags for speeches, and George W. Bush is no exception. However, most people would agree that this particular fee was in extremely poor taste.
Bush has come under fire after it emerged that he charged the Texas-based charity ‘Helping a Hero’ $100,000 (£64,000) for a 2012 speech at a fundraiser for veterans who lost limbs in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
While that seems pretty dodgy to begin with, it’s even worse when you consider that the soldiers were wounded in wars which Bush started while he was in office.
And, according to ABC News, the former president was also flown in a private jet at a cost of $20,000 to the charity, which provides specially-adapted homes for handicapped veterans.
Unsurprisingly, many board members weren’t happy about the situation and told ABC it was a “slap in the face” for wounded veterans.
Former Marine Eddie Wright, who lost both his hands in a 2004 rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq, said:
For him to be paid to raise money for veterans that were wounded in combat under his orders, I don’t think that’s right.
However, despite the controversy and the questionable morality of the situation, it should be noted that Bush’s appearance reportedly helped to raise “significant funds” for the charity.
According to the board’s chairman, the year that Bush spoke, the charity netted almost $2.5 million.
