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JD Vance Requested Up to $40,000 for Speaking Engagements During 2017 Hillbilly Elegy Book Tour

In 2017, JD Vance requested high speaking fees and travel accommodations during his book tour for Hillbilly Elegy, sparking debate over his compensation. Vance’s representative defended the fees, noting similar practices by high-profile Democrats. The topic resurfaces as Vance takes the political spotlight as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Lead Art: Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks at a campaign event at The Pennsylvanian in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Oct. 17. | Rebecca Droke/AP

JD Vance Requested High Fees for 2017 Book Tour Appearances
During his 2017 book tour for Hillbilly Elegy, JD Vance requested speaking fees as high as $40,000, along with first-class travel accommodations, emails reveal. These requests, made through his publisher and a talent agency, were directed toward public universities across the Midwest, some of which negotiated his fees down or broke off discussions entirely due to the costs involved.


Fee Increases and Broken Negotiations
Vance’s memoir gained widespread popularity after its release, and universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison sought to invite him for campus events. Initial discussions in February 2017 quoted Vance’s speaking fee at $25,000, but by April, the fee had risen to $40,000. Despite negotiating the fee down to $30,000, scheduling issues and the elevated costs ultimately led the university to cancel the appearance. Instead, they organized a local panel to discuss the book.


Vance’s Earnings from Speaking Engagements
According to reports, Vance earned at least $70,000 from speaking engagements at a minimum of 18 universities in the months following the release of Hillbilly Elegy. In one instance, Vance was paid $15,500 to speak at Bowling Green State University. His rising fees reflected his growing popularity and the increasing demand for his presence at public events.


Defense of Speaking Fees
A spokesperson for JD Vance defended the fees, stating that his compensation was in line with that of other high-profile public figures, including Democratic leaders such as the Clintons, Obamas, and Bidens. The spokesperson also criticized reports of the fees as irrelevant, emphasizing that the focus should be on issues of greater importance to American voters.

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