Politico journalists come under fire after the political news site started the new year with an attack on former Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen, elected Treasury Secretary by President-elect Joe Biden.
“In the past two years,” Politico tweeted, “Yellen has raised more than $ 7.2 million in calling fees.”
In the past two years, the election of President-elect Joe Biden as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has raised more than $ 7.2 million in speaking fees. https://t.co/ZkcAvrPfTw
– POLITICAL (@political) January 1st, 2021
“Yellen and other Biden cabinet nominees announce that they deserve large amounts of financial information that could complicate their relationship with progressives,” reads the subtitle of the article by Politico’s Alex Thompson and Theodoric Meyer.
Yellen spent nearly a quarter of a century in the civil service, becoming the first woman to retire to chair the Federal Reserve. She was previously a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and, among other things, chaired President Bill Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers.
Social media users were angry. Some popped the news site for using the term “raked” as if they were implying that they had acted unethically or even illegally, which is neither. Others beat up Politico for the article itself, as Yellen was a private citizen at the time and had every right to make speeches and be well compensated for her. She also had little expectation that she would return to the civil service after President Donald Trump refused to reappoint her as chairman of the Federal Reserve because she was too small.
And others accused Politico of trying to stir up anger among various wings of Democratic Party voters.
Most recently, I heard that collecting calling fees is perfectly legal for someone who is not on the government payroll. Good for Janet Yellen – her conversations have to be intelligent and informative to make this big money.
– “Amy” (@bluevelvetspock) January 1, 2021
I’m not sure what Politico’s motivation was, but I assume that when Janet Yellen has done so much with public speaking, she is obviously very respectful and probably very insightful too.
– Pleasant pink (@ ReginaRed4) January 1, 2021
It is better to collect fees than by insider trading or labor exploitation.
– IdealsMatter (@HeyStine) January 1, 2021
I guarantee Janet Yellen doesn’t need an apology to make $ 7.2 million. https://t.co/O5tUSGOVpF
– KD (@Fly_Sistah) January 1, 2021
Wonderful! Women’s work should and rarely be adequately remunerated. Thank you Janet Yellen.
– Heidi Jon Schmidt (@noelcourage) January 1, 2021
Why “raked”? Something inappropriateness or creepy about a smart woman, well paid for her thoughts?
And why is that new?
– Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) January 1, 2021
Yellen is very skilled, hardworking, and paying taxes. She is a great example of the work trained people should do.
– Debbie Hirsch (@ DebraHirsch1) January 1, 2021
Alternatively: “In the past two years, a world-famous economist has earned an income nowhere near that of a male CEO. However, in a 2016 fit of misogyny, we thought we were going to put up a sexist front man and see how far we could.” Drive it. “Please, please, please do better.
– Victoria Brownworth # HappyNewYear🎉🎉 (@VABVOX) January 1, 2021
You get what you pay for. We should consider ourselves lucky to have their invaluable expertise running our country’s finance department. Mnuchin donates $ 1 trillion to Wall Street every three months, making a fortune after the last crash that withheld grandmas and veterans. I think we act.
– “Brian O’Loughlin” (@ brianoloughlin9) January 1, 2021
In order to?? This article also combines unique presentations with consulting services. These are completely different things. In a lecture, you convey your own thoughts and ideas to a group that is willing to pay you to hear them. Consulting involves improving business results.
– Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) January 1, 2021
No news. All of this means that Yellen has fulfilled her part of an agreement and has been compensated.
This after watching the Chief Grifter pay his businesses with taxpayer’s money for 4 years.
The two are not even in the same country, let alone in the stadium
Better do it @politico
– DA Gray (@ dagray08) January 1, 2021
Isn’t it a good thing to let the market decide?
If the market decides that, who should I complain?
– Jay Robertson (@IJefTomI) January 1, 2021
Alex & Theodoric began to write, “deserves,” but found they were referring to a woman who rightfully earned 7.2 million in speaking fees, and it weighed down on her pathetic manly sensibilities so much that they raked up for ” “decided like the wicked, whiny asshole-chauvinists they were.
– Victoria Laurie (@ Ll20Victoria) January 1, 2021
One of the world’s leading, influential, and respected economists might have something to do with it. Hillary, Warren, Yellen … I see something like a pattern. Perhaps politico can investigate how much Bernanke, Paulson, Lagarde and Rajan “got in”.
– Festive Spring Merlin (@avvwrites) January 1, 2021
And here the media goes again. Suddenly it is no longer politically expedient to have such a low bar that you can’t even see it. Just in time for a democrat to take office …
– Kelly🇨🇦 (@ momma72of2) January 1, 2021
What kind of hit is that? Yellen was paid to speak and somehow is that supposed to be shameful? According to Politico, only Republicans are allowed to make a living.
– Jay Dem (@ JayDen5210) January 1, 2021
Good for you. Pay her her worth. Pay every woman her worth.
– Mattison (@Mattison) January 1, 2021
Image from Federal Reserve via Flickr
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