Politico’s latest hit piece on Senator J.D. Vance over his 2017 speaking fees reeks of hypocrisy, as the same publication’s top journalists charge even higher rates for their own appearances. While the left-leaning outlet tries to smear the GOP Vice Presidential nominee, they conveniently omit their own hefty fees, revealing a glaring double standard.
In an increasingly partisan media landscape, Politico has once again targeted a high-profile Republican, this time setting its sights on Senator J.D. Vance. In a recent hit piece, Politico criticized Vance for charging speaking fees during his 2017 book tour for "Hillbilly Elegy," a bestseller that was eventually adapted into a movie. According to the piece, Vance’s fee for keynoting an event at the time was $25,000. The underlying message was clear: Politico wanted to paint Vance as a figure of greed in an effort to undermine him in his current role as the GOP nominee for Vice President.
What Politico conveniently failed to mention, however, is that charging such fees is neither uncommon nor controversial in the world of authors and public figures—especially those connected to media organizations like Politico itself. The hypocrisy is glaring. Some of Politico’s own top journalists routinely command even higher fees for speaking engagements.
Take, for instance, Jonathon Martin, Politico’s Politics Bureau Chief. Martin, co-author of "This Will Not Pass," a book heavily critical of Donald Trump, charges as much as $35,000 to speak at events in the U.S. That fee climbs to $55,000 if the event is held in Europe or Asia. Similarly, Susan Glasser, Politico’s Editor, also moonlights as a paid speaker, offering her services for $20,000 per event, plus first-class travel.
Despite Vance’s speaking fee being within the range of normal for bestselling authors, Politico’s portrayal suggests it is somehow an outlier or morally questionable practice. Yet, they offer no such scrutiny of their own staff, who operate in much the same way. This omission raises serious questions about the journalistic standards at play.
In its zeal to score political points, Politico’s reporting on Vance appears not only one-sided but also disingenuous. If the act of charging speaking fees is a mark of greed, then by its own logic, Politico’s leading journalists would be guilty of the same accusation. Instead of focusing on real issues that matter to voters, the left-leaning tabloid is more interested in partisan attacks—a strategy that may ultimately backfire as more readers notice the double standard.
.png)