Hillary Clinton Said She’s Donated All Speaking Fees From Universities

Hillary Clinton told ABC News‘ Ann Compton Friday that she has donated her large speaking fees at colleges and universities to her family’s foundation.

“All of the fees have been donated to the Clinton Foundation for it to continue the life-changing and life-saving work. So it goes from a foundation at a university to another foundation,” Clinton said.

The Washington Post reported last week that Clinton made more than $1 million for speaking at eight universities, including four public schools, during the past year.

The University of Connecticut paid Clinton $251,250 from a donor fund to speak in April. She also received $300,000 to speak at the University of California, Los Angeles in March, and $225,000 to speak at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas scheduled for October.

The former Secretary of State and presumed 2016 presidential candidate was also paid to speak at the University at Buffalo, Colgate University, Hamilton College in New York, Simmons College in Boston and the University of Miami of Florida. All of those schools declined to say how much they paid as a fee.

After the speaking fee was made public at UNLV, student leaders sent a letter addressed to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation in New York. It was written on behalf of 23,000 students, represented by Student Body President Elias Benjellon, who said it would not be right for her to accept the fee.

“In keeping with Secretary Clinton’s long-standing history of advocating for students in higher education, we as student government leaders are asking that she charitably donate part or all of the $225,000 speaking fee she is reportedly making for this fund raising speech back to the UNLV Foundation as a whole,” the letter said.

Compton asked her about the letter, and Clinton made no mention she would do as the students asked. She said she is presenting new ideas which will lower income inequality as she travels the country speaking.

“It’s been my experience that they’re not worried about my speaking or my household, they’re worried about their own. And that’s the kind of debate I think I’m furthering as I go around the country speaking,” Clinton said.

As reported last week by The Inquisitr, John Ralston, who is an influential political journalist in Nevada, ranted against the fee calling it “obscene, grotesque and revolting. “Hillary Clinton, who advocates for affordable education, should be ashamed,” he said. “Is anyone worth that much money?”

Clinton recently took criticism for saying she and former President Clinton were “dead broke” after her husband’s presidency.

Bill Clinton has earned $104.9 million in speaking fees since leaving the White House, according to the Washington Post.

[Image via businessinsider.com]