Washington (CNN) - Although Mitt Romney said his income from giving speeches is "not very much," speech-related income in the year surrounding the publication of his 2010 book was more than most Americans make in a year.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, earned $374,327.62 in speaking fees between February 2010 and February 2011, according to documents the candidate filed with the Federal Election Commission in October of last year. The first edition of his book was published in March 2010.
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The checks were from nine speeches delivered over the year and paid by a bank, asset management firm, health care company, and college, among others.
The single largest checks were for $68,000, for keynoting the 2011 International Franchise Association annual convention and from Goldentree Asset Management.
The smallest check – $20,000 – was for two speeches in Vero Beach, Florida, when Romney spoke on his book and President Barack Obama amidst the 2010 midterm elections.
On Tuesday, Romney downplayed his income from speaking engagements and said he did not profit from his book as he donated what he made from its publication.
In "the last ten years my income comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past rather than ordinary income or rather than earned annual income," he said. "I got a little bit of income from my book but I gave all of that away. And then I get speakers fees from time to time but not very much."
- CNN Political Research Director Robert Yoon contributed to this report.
Also see:
Christie to Romney: release tax info 'sooner rather than later'
Perry defends controversial comment on Turkey
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"I got a little bit of income from my book but I gave all of that away. And then I get speakers fees from time to time but not very much."
Yet another example of Romney's HUMAN moments.
Obama 2012
Minimum one hour rate $20000 Mitt Romney to expensive for America
I think he was comparing himself to Clinton.
The average amount for the speeches is roughly 40k. Some poor people barely make that much in two years. But to Willard, that's just chump change. I mean hey, this is a guy who makes $10,000 bets on national TV.
Peanuts compared to the MASSIVE amounts Bill Clinton has made.
BTW, when is Obama going to post how much of HIS income is taxed at the lower long term capital gains rate of 15%? Or does he invest stupidly and pay higher tax rates just so he can help pay for his bloated government?
And then I get speakers fees from time to time but not very much." $374,327.62 "NOT VERY MUCH" lifestyles of the rich and famous. Somebody peal me a grape.
1% Mittens will never, ever be the president.
Mitt Romney is the poster child of the 1%. His dark secret is out of the bag. Most of his income is taxed at the 18% capital gains rate. With Mitt Romney's proposed tax reform, the capital gains rate goes away. Mitt Romney could wind up paying less in taxes than a bus driver.
More power to him. Even if $360,000 is not much to him but it is to me, MORE POWER TO HIM!. I don;lt give a rats behind if he makes more in a month than I will make in my life, I will votye fgor him for what he can do for me and my country. How much he makes or has in assests is none of anyone's business..
Myth MorNey is getting paid speakers fees of an average of $40,000 per speech from time to time and he is saying that is NOT very much?!!!
Interesting!!!!
that really is not that much when you make $250 million a year!
but instead of CNN writing "more than most Americans make in a year", change that to 'more than most Americans make in 5 years", then it will ring more of reality!!!!
Remember those Get Rich Quick seminars to buy realty for no money down, mortgage it to the hilt for more than it's worth, take off with the banks money and dump the property. That's how Country-wide and Bank of America and the whole credit industry was destroyed by the Republicans ... who like to fire people. Well that's what Romney and BANE did to paper companies and steel companies while they fired workers, dumped unions and hired workers at lower sweat-shop businesses with low wages and no benefits. Romneys "fees" and "dividends " were from loan proceeds that were intended to grow the borrowing business, not to be scooped or skimmed by the corporate vultures. The had to be cahracterized as dividends or fees by Romney and BANE – AFTER ALL THERE IS NO TAX DEDUCTION FOR 'BANK FRAUD" OR 'PROCEEDS OF CRIME"!
"Not much..." How about "out of touch!"
Does he realize it would take MOST Americans 5-10 years to make that if not more. All of those people who's hands he's shaking and talking to would be thrilled to get that much money in a year. And that's "not much". Clearly I need to write a book. Unfortunately my father wasn't rich or famous so it probably won't get much attention.
Wait until his offshore accounts are discovered.
"more than most Americans make in a year." ??? That's more than seven Americans make in a year! Although, to be fair, many of these big hoighty, toighties get $50,000, $100,000 and more for a single speach – so – in that light – this ain't donkey dirt.
Mitt, just keep the sound bites for the D attack ads coming. They have enough, but they can always use more.
When is Willard going to release his TAX RETURNS?
Why wait until APRIL to release ONLY the 2011 YR TAX RETURN when it has been doctored?
Myth MorNEY has all of his past TAX RETURNS sitting on the shelf and garthering dust....so why NOT release ALL of his past 5yrs Tax Returns TODAY and be transparent about his INCOME & ALL THE FREE TAX CUTS & GOVT. GIVEAWAYS?!!!
MyTH MorNEY has NOT worked a a single day for the last 5yrs but just running for political office....while feeding FAT on TAXPAYERS DIME – TAX CUTS & DEDUCTIONS!!!!
I'm not all that crazy about Romney, but he will do a much better job than the current occupier of the white house. A funny thing the other day, I was reading the democrat platform (a know thy enemy philosophy) and it reads very similar to another document I had to read in college, the communist manifesto by Karl Marx. Then I got to looking at opinions expressed by democrat bloggers and politicians, and it is just plain scary. Also, it explains why a russian editorial in their newspaper "pravda" was posing the question, "didn't america learn from our 70 years mistake?"
@tykl: I think he was comparing himself to Clinton.
Clinton isn't running. Besides we had something called a "surplus" when Clinton left office. Wonder what happened to that. Try again.
This guy has lived in a different universe all of his like and has absolutely no connection or empathy for working people.
He is a classic example of what is and has been the disconnect between middle America and government as most people in Congress now are wealthy puppets for corporations and their interests.
Romney is so over his head, IT IS EVEN OBVIOUS TO SARAH PALIN!
and yet there are people here either making excuses for Mitt (but what about Obama??) or just willing to accept this. I guess there are more people in the upper 1% that read and post on CNN PT than I thought. Too me that is quite a bit of money and people like Mitt and Newt can make almost what I make in a year in a 40 min speech. But truth be told whenver Obama is out of office be it 2013 or 2016 he's going to command the same or more for a speech. I don't blame the speaker as much as I do those willing to pay for it.
$374,327.62 for just talking. Not producing any goods or services. Just talking. And he says this is "not much." This isn't the infamous "class warfare" the Tea/Republicans are fuming about. It's just plain inconsiderate. And as such might very well fuel the flames of class warfare down the road. The 1% just don't get it. And don't care that they don't get it.
Whoever paid Romney to speak got ripped off. That guy stumbles over his words most of the time. He has a good radio voice good for sound bites. All that hot air he spits out he should start a hot air ballon ride business.