George W Bush Charged a Charity for Iraq Veterans $100,000 to Speak at Event
Former President George W. Bush, who led the country into a war in Iraq on wrong evidence, charged a charity that provides services to wounded veterans $100,000 dollars to speak at an event.
The Hill reports that in addition to charging $100,000 to a veterans' charity, many of whom were injured in Iraq, he demanded that he be flown to the event in a private airplane which cost the charity $20,000. Believe it or not, this is actually the second time that Bush has charged the group this amount for his presence at a charity event.
Bush's wife, Laura, has also profited handsomely from this group, having made $50,000 for appearing at an event in 2011.
The name of the charity is called Helping a Hero, and it exists explicitly to help soldiers seriously injured in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, having lost limbs or other life-altering injuries.
A Marine who served in Iraq told the Hill that he felt the Bushes charging to speak at events to raise money for soldiers that went to fight on Bush's orders, and for a cause that turned out to be unjustified, was "a slap in the face." The Marine lost both of his hands in 2004 while fighting in Fallujah, scene of the some of the fiercest fighting during the war.
Interestingly, that Marine served on the board of Helping a Hero.
ABC News reports that despite not having sent soldiers to fight for a war based on false evidence, Bill Clinton has never charged to speak to a group of veterans, although since he left office has made more than $100 million giving speeches around the world.
