US

Sanders And Warren Irritated By Obama’s Paid Speech To Wall St. Bank

REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
Font Size:

Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren say they are not pleased about reports that former President Barack Obama was paid to deliver a speech to a large bank on Wall Street.

Sanders told CBS “This Morning” on Friday, “President Obama is a friend of mine. I think he as a president represented our country with integrity and intelligence, but I think at a time when people are so frustrated with the power of Wall Street and the big money interests, I think it is unfortunate that President Obama is doing this.”

Sanders’ comment about President Obama being paid $400,000 by top Wall Street banking firm Cantor Fitzgerald was preceded by Warren’s displeasure on the matter.

“I was troubled by that,” Warren said on SiriusXM’s “Alter Family Politics” on Thursday. She added, “One of the things I talk about in the book is the influence of money. I describe it as a snake that slithers through Washington. And that it shows up in so many different ways here in Washington.”

Obama spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement to The Hill that the fat speaking fee the former president received would not interfered with Obama’s politics.

“With regard to this or any speech involving Wall Street sponsors, I’d just point out that in 2008, Barack Obama raised more money from Wall Street than any candidate in history — and still went on to successfully pass and implement the toughest reforms on Wall Street since [President Franklin Delano Roosevelt],” Schultz said.

 Follow Kerry on Twitter