Sarah Palin’s CSU Contract (and Speaking Fee) Revealed

Sarah Palin was hired by California State UniversityStanislaus to appear at a June Fundraiser.  When a non-profit government transparency group sought tofind out her speaking fee through a public information request, the Universityrefused to reveal the information. Last week, a California judge ordered the University to disclose thedetails.

Now that the contract is public record (you can read it inits entirety here), it reveals that Palin received $75,000 for three hours’work, in two payments of $37,500. The University was also on the hook for her accommodations and travelexpenses, which included two first class tickets and two unrestricted coach tickets.  Among other interesting tidbits, welearn that Palin requires bendable straws, wooden lecterns and skirted tables:

A spotlight directly on the Speakershould be avoided. Unopened bottled still water (2 bottles) and bendable strawsare to be placed in or near the wooden lectern. A representative of WSB[Washington Speakers Bureau] or the Speaker’s party will open the water at anappropriate time prior to the Speaker’s participation in the program.

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No Plexiglass or thin lecterns,please. If Speaker is seated on-stage at a table (sic) customer to ensure thatthe table is skirted.

Guess this confidentiality clause could not insulate thegovernment entity from transparency:

The Parties agree that the terms ofthis Agreement, including its compensation terms, (“ConfidentialInformation”) are confidential and should be held in confidence by eachparty. The Parties shall not publicly disclose any Confidential Information andacknowledge that any breach, negligent or intentional, of this confidentialityshall be deemed a material breach of this Agreement for which the breachingparty will be held liable.

[Meredith R. Miller]