State Department spends 70K on Obama books
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
State Department spends 70K on Obama books
By: Jim McElhatton, Washington Times
The State Department has bought more than $70,000 worth of books
authored by President Obama, sending out copies as Christmas
gratuities and stocking "key libraries" around the world with
"Dreams From My Father" more than a decade after its release.
The U.S. Embassy in Egypt, for instance, spent $28,636 in August
2009 for copies of Mr. Obama's best-selling 1995 memoir. Six weeks
earlier, the embassy had placed another order for the same book for
more than $9,000, federal purchasing records show.
About the same time, halfway around the world, the U.S. Embassy
in South Korea had the same idea and spent more than $6,000 for
copies of "Dreams From My Father."
One month later, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, spent
more than $3,800 for hardcover copies of the Indonesian version of
Mr. Obama's "The Audacity of Hope," records show.
A review of the expenditures in a federal database did not
reveal any examples of State Department purchases of books by
former Presidents George W. Bush or Bill Clinton. The purchases of
Mr. Obama's literary work mostly, but not always, took place in the
months after Mr. Obama captured the White House.
Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government
Waste, a watchdog group, said if the federal government is looking
to cut costs, eliminating purchases of Mr. Obama's books is a good
place to start.
"It's inappropriate for U.S. taxpayer dollars to be spent on
this," she said. "This sounds like propaganda."
But State Department spokesman Noel Clay said the book purchases
followed regular government procurement rules. He said diplomats
have long used books as a way to help broker talks on important
foreign-policy matters.
"The structure and the presidency of the United States is an
integral component of representing the United States overseas," Mr.
Clay said. "We often use books to engage key audiences in
discussions of foreign policy."
He also said books are purchased to stock the State Department's
"information resource centers," which he said are located around
the world and provide books about U.S. coverage of issues such as
culture, history and values.
"We also provide key library collections with books about the
United States," he said.
Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, said
there could be value in distributing books about American politics
and the people who make up political institutions.
"Compared to big-ticket items like embassy construction, buying
books may not show up as a huge warning on taxpayers' radar
screens, but there is always room for improvement and making sure
programs like this are serving a good, intended purpose," he
said.
There's no indication the White House knew about the purchases,
which overall represent just a fraction of the nearly
quarter-million dollars Mr. Obama donated to charities last year
and his more than $1.7 million in overall income. Mr. Clay said
book orders are normally made directly by embassies based on "their
experience and knowledge on the ground of the intended
audience."
A White House spokesman did not respond to email messages.
The records show a mix of English and foreign language purchases
of Mr. Obama's books.
The U.S. Embassy in Indonesia spent more than $4,800 in
September 2009 for copies of "Dreams From My Father" and "The
Audacity of Hope," though the title of the latter book is spelled
"Authority of Hope" in the federal spending database. The embassy
spent $3,885 for additional Indonesian copies of "The Audacity of
Hope," records show.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkey spent more than $3,700 in December
2009 for what purchasing records describe as "Copies of Barack
Obama's book in Turkish."
In March, the U.S. Embassy in Paris spent more than $8,300 for
French language copies of "Dreams From My Father." The embassy also
spent more than $11,600 for French language copies of Mr. Obama's
children's book, "Of Thee I Sing," though any royalties he receives
for purchases of that children's book will be donated to charity,
according to Mr. Obama's financial disclosure forms.
Mr. Obama has earned far more writing books than he has earned
holding government office. He reported from $1 million to $5
million in royalties in 2010 for "Dreams From My Father," and
between $100,001 and $1 million in royalties for "The Audacity of
Hope."
If he earned 10 percent royalties on roughly $60,000 in
purchases of his books by the State Department, excluding the
children's book, he could expect to pocket $6,000. It's a tiny
slice of Mr. Obama's overall earnings, though still a sizable chunk
to most Americans, whose median household income in 2009 was just
over $50,000.
According to financial-disclosure forms, Mr. Obama earns
royalties of 15 percent of the U.S. price for hardcover sales for
"The Audacity of Hope" and 7.5 percent for trade paperback book
sales. He reported between $100,001 and $1 million in royalties for
"The Audacity of Hope."
Mr. Obama's and first lady Michelle Obama's joint 2010 tax
return showed overall income of just under $1.8 million, with more
than $240,000 donated to charity. The Obamas reported about $1.5
million from book-related income. Overall, they donated about 14
percent of their income to charity.
Royalties for Mr. Obama's children's book, "Of Thee I Sing" are
being donated to the Fisher House Foundation for a scholarship fund
for children of fallen and disabled soldiers, disclosure forms
show.
Mr. Obama also has a deal to write another book after his
presidency.