Why did Cory Booker accept $11,000 for a speaking engagement...

by: Michael Tracey

Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 10:20:10 PM EST

...at a public university in New Jersey, during a time of economic recession?

The TCNJ Perspective has the full story here: http://tcnjperspective.wordpre...

As far as we can tell, there is nothing legally suspect with Booker accepting such a large speaking fee. But it does seem ethically dubious.

TCNJ is furloughing professors, cutting services, and engaging in other cost-saving activities that one might expect a public university to explore in such challenging economic times. And yet mayor of Newark Cory Booker, a sitting public official, accepted $11,000 for a 90-minute talk in November. Was it appropriate for the TCNJ student government to offer such an exorbitant honorarium? It's debatable. But should we expect Booker to reject such a prodigious gratuity? Absolutely.

Your thoughts?

Michael Tracey :: Why did Cory Booker accept $11,000 for a speaking engagement...

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Why did Cory Booker accept $11,000 for a speaking engagement... | 3 comments

Shouldn't the title of this diary be... (4.00 / 2)

"Why Did TCNJ give Cory Booker $11,000 for a speaking engagement..."

by: Matthew Jordan @ Wed Jan 13, 2010 at 16:41:24 PM UTC

Well (4.00 / 1)

Was it appropriate for the TCNJ student government to offer such an exorbitant honorarium? It's debatable. But should we expect Booker to reject such a prodigious gratuity? Absolutely.

Why? On either question. Do you have some evidence that shows it was unreasaonably high compared to other speakers? Did he somehow threaten to use his power as mayor to wreck the school?

by: Thurman Hart @ Mon Jan 18, 2010 at 16:18:54 PM UTC

To answer myself (4.00 / 2)

TCNJ spent $22K to bring Ann Coulter here only last year. By comparison, Booker is a bargain.

But you aren't complaining about outrageous payments to speakers, so that isn't the problem. Your problem is that it was Booker who came.

Is there any indication that he misused his office to get the gig? Is there anything that says he shouldn't be able to be paid for speaking? Honestly, it isn't like it interferes with his duties as Mayor.

I honestly don't understand the gripe.

by: Thurman Hart @ Mon Jan 18, 2010 at 16:34:20 PM UTC