WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 — Bill Clinton is out of office, but he’s not without an office. Soon the former president will be renting the entire 56th floor — 8300 square feet — in Manhattan’s luxurious Carnegie Towers. The Web ad for the building says it has spectacular views and “white glove” service.
SOURCES SAID the rental cost of more than $700,000 a year will be charged to the taxpayer —
more than all of the other former presidents’ offices combined. “President Clinton’s office space would shatter all previous records for former presidents, who are already living high on the taxpayer tab,” said Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union.
No one questions that Clinton needs an office. All former presidents get them for life.
But critics ask, how much should the government spend? Former President Bush’s Houston office rents for $147,000 a year, Ronald Reagan’s Los Angeles office for $285,000, Jimmy Carter’s Atlanta office for $93,000 and Gerald Ford’s office near Palm Springs for $99,000.
Key members of Congress say Clinton’s cost is way out of line.
“He may well push the envelope into an area where the Congress decides we need to put some limitation on that,” said Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee.
Clinton aides say expensive rentals are just a fact of life in New York.
But this is only the latest stumble for former president — not including when Buddy knocked him over. There have also been been lavish gifts and the last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich. Even Carter criticized that, telling Jay Leno, “No effort had been made to get the Justice Department to investigate or to approve the pardon, it was just done at the last minute, in the middle of the night.”
And all this put Hillary Clinton on the defensive as she launches her Senate career.
“The White House years, the administration of my husband, are over and I am going to be focused solely on the job that I can do to help New York,” the former first lady said at a news conference Monday.
Aides said Bill Clinton will make his first paid speech next week, getting at least $100,000 — top dollar, which is what critics say he’s charging the taxpayer for his office.
www.msnbc.com/news/524053.asp#BODY Anyone else think this is excessive?
The waste continues ...............
Eagler