Think Progress

$40,000:

By Amanda Terkel on Nov 8th, 2007 at 9:57 pm

$40,000:

Amount former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will receive to speak at the University of Florida later this month. It will be Gonzales’s first speaking appearance since his departure from the Bush administration.



67 Responses to “$40,000:”

  1. TRDaggett says:

    I’m surprised he’s asked to speak at all, what with that memory problem he’s got.


  2. nofltwlt says:

    Why? What can they possibly learn from Gonzo? What can he tell them?

    One thing is certain; he cannot tell them the truth about what he has done to our nation.


  3. Badmoodman says:

    He arm-wrestled, then waterboarded Tony Snow for the gig.


  4. Saint Augustine says:

    There is no telling what happens to the minds of Gators after a loss to the Bulldogs.


  5. jupiterhound says:

    I have no problem with this. Universities are free to invite anyone whom they choose. I’m sure the kids at UF will have some fairly intelligent questions for Gonzo. Will he answer them? We’ll have to wait and see.


  6. joe cantwell says:

    i thought he was going to eat fifty hard boiled eggs. didn’t hear anything about a speech.


  7. grover nerdkissed says:

    of coure, he’ll be handing it over to charity, correct?


  8. Jay Randal says:

    LOL that university must have a brain-dead president to give Gonzales 40,000 bucks to spew a bunch of sick lies and falsehoods to students.


  9. DigDug says:


    I have no problem with this. Universities are free to invite anyone whom they choose. I’m sure the kids at UF will have some fairly intelligent questions for Gonzo. Will he answer them? We’ll have to wait and see.

    Comment by jupiterhound

    I do have problem with it. These corrupt government officials do untold damage to our country, and then after they leave are treated like celebrities and paid tons of money to work the speaking circuit.

    This is rewarding bad behavior.


  10. SP Biloxi says:

    The University can frisbee out 40k to a former Attorney General who couldn’t recall any of the U.S. Attorney firings and had committed perjury. If Gonzo couldn’t tell the truth under oath in the Senate and House Judiciary Committee meetings, what kind of example can he be to the University students especially the future law students?


  11. Xisithrus says:

    Florida? That pretty much explains it.


  12. tarazan says:

    And what does the university get in return for spending this kind of money..? !!


  13. tarazan says:

    For $40,000.00…now he’ll recall…


  14. kassandrasduplex says:

    That’s a lot of money for a used Tijuana Taxi.


  15. kassandrasduplex says:

    Then again Nixon sold the country a used Ford.


  16. Marie says:

    Why are they paying him to speak? What value can his words have? He says he can’t recall anything from his tenure as AG anyway. Perhaps he can tell them how he got Bush off on a drunk driving charge and other embarrassing illegalities.


  17. GSD says:

    I have obtained the text of his speech.

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    I cannot recall.

    Thanks for the money.

    My dad was a work-a-day loser.

    George Bush is Jeebus.

    They are attacking me cause I’m Latino.

    Adios,

    -Gonzo


  18. missmolly says:

    Am I ever in the wrong line of work. I should have focused on being an incompetent person in the Bush administration. Then resign under pressure when my poor performance couldn’t be ignored anymore. And then rake in the money.


  19. foreyes says:

    $40,000:Amount former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will receive to speak at the University of Florida later this month.
    ————-

    There’s an old saying that comes to mind: “Crime doesn’t pay”.

    I guess who said it could not imagine the Bush administration.


  20. Marie says:

    No, missmolly, I believe you have far too much integrity, not to mention critical thinking skills, to ever follow that course.


  21. Marie says:

    Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey wins Senate
    confirmation


  22. grover nerdkissed says:

    it brings up the question again; WHO IS PAYING FOR HIS LEGAL FEES?

    perhaps this was set up as a way to offset those expenses?


  23. gooderservice says:

    The parents and students must be proud that their tuition money is going to pay for a liar and a criminal to tell them more lies. And the bonus is that the childrens can learn.


  24. Laszlo Panaflex says:

    Almost $1,000 per I don’t recall.


  25. joe cantwell says:

    i think he’s going to dance the lambada.

    as you know, it’s the forbidden dance.


  26. joe cantwell says:

    goddamn where’s the trolls? this isn’t much fun without the trolls!


  27. Zooey says:

    Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey wins Senate
    confirmation
    Comment by Marie — November 8, 2007 @ 11:28 pm

    The foundation of this country continues to crumble…


  28. bs says:

    we can’t be surprised by that, now, can we. after-all jeb bush is the governor.


  29. helenahandbasket says:

    Guess Gonzo needs a little “Gator-Aid” with his future legal defense bills.


  30. araratararat says:

    Disgusting and deplorable. Young adults about to enter the work a day business world – what could Gonzo possibly have to share from his vast repository of knowledge – information on the subject of ETHICS ?

    These Fascist criminals should be locked up and barred from ever working in government again.


  31. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Geez, if they want Gonzo to talk, wouldn’t a little waterboarding be cheaper, and more effective?


  32. dbadass says:

    It sort of bums me out that the fine name of one of my favorite muppets has become attached to this guy. Hunter Thompson is probably sort of pissed as well but I’ll bet he has far more interesting things going on wherever he is


  33. Zooey says:

    Geez, if they want Gonzo to talk, wouldn’t a little waterboarding be cheaper, and more effective?
    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — November 9, 2007 @ 12:26 am

    Always a unique perspective. :D


  34. ttread says:

    This is disgusting. Gonzales should be going to jail but instead he’s being paid big bucks to speak at a university. Nobody seems to care that he has been instrumental in the Bush administration’s attempts to erode our Constitution and dismantle our governmental system of checks and balances. The organizers of this appearance should be ashamed for wasting student resources on this slimeball.


  35. Jay Randal says:

    Yes it is official that at around midnight the Senate confirmed an insane old stupid man to be the new Attorney General. The vote was 53 yeas and 40 nays with 7 Senators not even bothering to vote. 6 Democrats and Traitor Joe LIEberman joined 46 Republicans in confirming a man who intends to cover-up Bush’s acts of waterboarding people.

    7 not voting were 3 Republicans and 4 Democrats. Schumer, Feinstein, Landrieu, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and 2 other Dems betrayed the party and the entire nation. They must be punished and forced to resign from the Senate in disgrace. The GOPers are all certified slime.


  36. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    Always a unique perspective. :D

    Comment by Zooey — November 9, 2007 @ 12:51 am

    Aw shucks… it’s what I do… anybody got some cookies ? I’m a leetle hongry here…


  37. G8Rlib1 says:

    WHOA. Easy killers–this isn’t as big of a deal as you think.

    The organization that invited Gonzales to speak later this month is really only attempting to invite people from both sides of the isle here.
    This is the same organization that invited John Kerry this year (the “don’t tase me bro” incident).

    ACCENT is known for inviting “controversial” speakers including Dr. Jack Kevorkian (in Jan.), Ann Coulter, Pres. Clinton, Dennis Kucinich, Gen. Wesley Clark, Janet Reno, Joe Wilson, Jesse Jackson, Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Michael Moore (I was there for this one a few years ago, before the 2004 elections).

    By the way Bill Nye the Science Guy got over $30K for his recent visit.
    Most of the above got paid more than $40K. Pres. Clinton was paid $80K.


  38. alphainfinityomega says:

    What a waste of time and money.

    ∞


  39. The Republic of Stupidity says:

    WHOA. Easy killers–this isn’t as big of a deal as you think.

    Comment by G8Rlib1 — November 9, 2007 @ 2:03 am

    Aw, bugger off, ya condescending twit.


  40. Max-1 says:

    .

    So this is how American War Criminals make a living?

    Because we all know in America, Fascists roam free.

    .


  41. Jay Randal says:

    Additional information on those who voted Mukasey in as new Attorney General: Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Tom Carper of Delaware were the other 2 Democrats who voted for him.

    The 7 who did not bother to vote were: Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Chris Dodd, and Sen. Barack Obama of the Democrats.
    Sen. John McCain, Sen. Lamar Alexander, and Sen. John Cornyn GOP.

    If the 6 Democrats who voted for him had not done so, plus the 4 who did not vote had voted nay, plus McCain being absent, then Mukasey would have been defeated. Democrats caved to Dubya again.


  42. Bruce Gorton says:

    And the Dems just confirmed Muskasey, so I am left with one question:

    When the heck are the Democrat (I refuse to call them Democratic) faithful going to finally recognise that when you vote Democrat you may as well vote Republican? When is America’s left going to grow enough of a pair to actually, you know, ditch the Dems and vote independent?

    Because, frankly, there is no worth, value or decency to the Democratic party anymore. It is the Republican party in drag, and needs to be eliminated entirely.


  43. AbsoluteCentrist says:

    The price he paid for restoring his dignity however, is much higher. Mathematicians call it a “zillion.”


  44. Peter C says:

    Do you suppose they’ll screen the audience or just have a whole lot of campus police standing around with tasers?


  45. Dumb_Fox says:

    40 large on a guy who can’t remember a meaningful thing he did in office seems a little excessive.


  46. blueseahorse says:

    CHENEY’S SMIRK – this proves what I tell my husband; Cheney (& fellow criminals) always has a smirk, and always brush off criticisims, because
    he and FELLOW CRIMINALS know: THAT THEY WIN, THEY HAVE ALWAYS WON and they and their ilk (MONSTERS) will ALWAYS win in this world. They always do.
    THIS IS A DISGRACE., but surprised am I? no, not at all. Deeply saddened, but not surprised.


  47. Dumb_Fox says:

    Just to put Gonzo’s marketability in context, Tony Blair apparently was paid half a mil for a twenty minute appearance in China.

    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2f318f8a-8e37-11dc-8591-0000779fd2ac.html

    Or maybe it says something about the value of the dollar, whatever, still can’t believe Gonzo’s homage to sycophancy is worth anything close to five figures.


  48. loretta says:

    I have to agree with the previous post–this isn’t the kind of speech money these guys were hoping for. Hopefully he gets one of these a year, and will be forced to learn to live on 40K annually.
    Why not? The rest of us do.


  49. Bobwurst says:

    “Speaking of Bill Clinton, doesn’t he charge around twice that much?
    Comment by O. Bigfoot ”

    Clinton was punished for his lie, remember? Gonzo and co. have commited far worse crimes and yet they go giggling on, letting idiots like you defend them.


  50. Bobwurst says:

    “#51 (Bobwurst). Wow, a lib finally admits that Clinton lied. Now we are getting somewhere.

    Comment by TCDon ”

    There isn’t a lib here who hasn’t admitted that Clinton lied, about a blowjob! But you keep spewing your talking points.

    Now if we can just find a neocon to admit that bush et al lied, us into a war. But that aint going to happen, is it?


  51. Bobwurst says:

    Do you suppose they’ll screen the audience or just have a whole lot of campus police standing around with tasers?

    Comment by Peter C — November 9, 2007 @ 7:50 am
    Recommend (0) | Report Abuse

    ___________________
    No, that is the Kerry approach.

    Comment by TCDon —

    Actually that was campus police who tasered the kid. Kerry can be heard saying “let him speak”. Ov course since you have an aversion to facts you wouldn’t know that.


  52. gus smith says:

    jupiterhound – I have no problem with Gonzales speaking but I do have a problem with him getting paid. Not one taxpayer/ student fees penny to pay any unindicted suspect who ostensibly lied to Congress. “Executive privilege” should also prevent the guy from speaking publicly. Why the double standard?


  53. Bobwurst says:

    TCDon,

    1-we’re talking about Clinton here, remember? What was Clinton convicted of? Try to keep on topic, at least when it’s your topic, junior.

    2-Whitewater was a 20 year old land deal that the clintons LOST money on. Furthermore, Clinoton had the intergrity to appoint a special proseutor to investigate the issue, get back to me when bush does the same.

    3-If you want to bring in associates of presidents, fine. But you’re asking for a beating, again. Maybe we should just limit the discussion to either fraud or sex crimes. Either way, you lose.


  54. Bobwurst says:

    Gonzo and co. have only committed crimes in the minds of far-left libs. And thankfully, the minds of far-left libs simply don’t matter. Just ask congress..

    Welcome Attorney General Mukasey!

    Comment by O. Bigfoot

    Just because you people don’t have the intergrity to police yourselves, don’t think you haven’t commited crimes, O-ring. Where are the WMD that Saddam had? Where are the connections between AQ and Saddam? I won’t even get into the fraud and stolen money that Bremmer oversaw. How about a VP shooting someone in the face, and then telling the local jusitiction to wait until I sober up? How about Bush being AWOL?


  55. Bruce Gorton says:

    Bobwurst

    Bush wasn’t AWOL. He was an outright deserter.


  56. blueseahorse says:

    The ONLY way MONSTERS will no longer win and rule the playing field, is when we realize we are in this world TOGETHER. It’s not about : ME — it’s about US! Since Reagan, it’s been a ME world., get what I can and screw the rest – that’s what keeps us divided and fightting amongst ourselves to try to be like the HAVE MOREs. The Have Mores see their propaganda working and smirk. As long as we fight ourselves., they win.
    They can keep raising the bar and we keep killing ourselves and each other to reach it. Won’t work.
    Until we realize by working together and helping each other, we will get the power and can change the rules that will help us all and this poor world, we will continue to fight and claw and die in this insanity., while CHENEY AND THE OTHER MONSTERS sit back and smirk.


  57. Bobwurst says:

    Bobwurst

    Bush wasn’t AWOL. He was an outright deserter.

    Comment by Bruce Gorton

    Well, technically, he’s still one or the other. I don’t know when someone leagally moves from AWOL to deserter status. In either case, he has no right to be commander in chief when he refused lawful commands.


  58. ProDem says:

    Where else, but FLORIDA!! That f**king HELL HOLE! I hope the most powerful hurricane in history blows right through that shit hole state and wipes it off the face of the earth!! And I know…I know..there are probably some good people that live there, but I just can’t be sympathetic anymore. My advice to them would be MOVE!!!


  59. OxyCon says:

    Time for Gone-zo to start rolling in the Repub Welfare dollars. It’s how all the Repub’s operate.


  60. IgnoranceIsNotBliss says:

    $1 for each “I don’t recall”


  61. FearandSmear says:

    what kind of example can he be to the University students especially the future law students?

    I think there are probably more than a few very smart law students at UF who would love a chance to tap dance with Fredo, if only for a moment and only to be lied to. Imagine that, a lawyer being LIED to.

    Besides, we really need a new “Don’t Tase Me, BRO!”®


  62. EasyRider_Real_one says:

    It is pure GOP gravey chain for their criminals.

    How much any of us get? ZERO!

    At $40,000 he should be inthe stadium with a packed crowd, else it is a payoff from Bush byway of his supporters at Florida U.


  63. Tender Chicken says:

    I’d like to know what his fee is for bending over and taking it try from his boyfriend George W.


  64. H2onE2 says:

    Predictions of the next 911 by a Professional Geologist.

    http://www.H2onE2.com Glacial Respiration, Conceptual Ring of Ice, The End of Linear Western Religion
    A Geological Exploration of an E2 Earthen Planet And the H2 Human Species
    Author: B Billy Marse, Professional Geologist

    Brief Description:
    http://www.H2onE2.com is an exploration of the universe, geology, climate, biology, humans, psychology, folklore and ancient structures to uncover the beginning and disclose the end of linear western religion. The true DaVinci Code behind the bible is not a supreme spiritual power but a scientific record of climate change described as Glacial Respiration. The Greek philosophers originated the practice of communicating a hidden idea or message in the short story format, as a metaphor. In the bible, metaphors conceal historic climate change within the fanciful stories. The theory of Glacial Respiration explains the myth behind the Holy Grail, structures such as the Great Pyramids, Stonehenge, Easter Island and is the knowledge that was collected in the Jewish Ark of the Covenant.
    The environmental changes of Glacial Respiration determine all biological evolution and can explain why higher forms of intelligent humans developed. Further, Glacial Respiration releases the secret hidden by the Knights Templars, Masonic Order and all religions. Uncovers an advanced Blue-Blooded semi-industrial Atlantian Civilization that was built and destroyed many times over for the last million years. The book ends with an explanation of how linear western religion will be physically ended and describes the construction of the doomsday device capable of fulfilling its own self defining prophesy, “Revelations”. H2onE2 is a mind-expanding experience that stimulates the soul, instinct, intellect and is an almanac to the past, present and future of humanity. Rise, awaken and evolve into H3 human consciousness.

    The discovery:
    As a Professional Geologist, I attempted to link the Dust Bowl/Great Depression to a pre-glacial condition or mechanism and ended up writing the book H2onE2. I felt that there was a strong connection between the Dust Bowl and transition back into Glacial Winter. I did notice that my professors scientifically crumbled every time I mentioned the relationship. I could not go back in time or locate indisputable proof. The proof came from understanding all educational disciplines including history and theology. I soon discovered that all religious text both eastern and western continually described significant climate change conditions relating to Glacial Respiration. For years I fought off mixing science and religion until I discovered that the origins of all religions were founded or created to help humans psychologically survive the harsh earthen environment. Without reason I soon accepted that the world’s complicated religions were the same. This came true and I continued to write and discover. Everything came into place as though I was unlocking a 10,000-year-old puzzle. I also realized this puzzle was opened before I discovered it, by someone else, some other group. If so, further understanding of this knowledge might be extracted from significant historical events. Lastly, this is the vital information needed to make future predictions.
    y55jyj5yj


  65. DallasNE says:

    I see Gonzales will be trying to build up his legal defense fund. On can only hope that an indictment gets handed down causing the speaking engagement to be canceled.


  66. wwz says:

    Coulter got 30 grand recently at Cleary College, a small institution here in MI. Last year the local Republican Committee paid Ollie North 30k to speak as well. Its wingnut welfare.


  67. sacopenapa says:

    Speaking appearence??!!!! What on earth a WAR CRIMINAL, A TORTURER, A FACIST IMBECIL like him is doing out of jail?????!!!! Oh yeah, I forgot that the US has become an International joke!



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