Buzzfeed News: An Arizona Senate Candidate’s Representatives Tried To Hide His Speaking Fee At A Public University

America Rising, a political action committee that conducts opposition research for Republicans, requested the Kelly contract with Youngstown State last month, not long after the astronaut and Navy veteran declared his Senate candidacy. YSU responded last week but redacted all references to Kelly and Gifford’s fees, prompting follow-up questions from an America Rising attorney.

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America Rising, in its communications with YSU, noted that the university was unique, even in Ohio, in refusing to disclose Kelly’s payments.

“It raises questions about how much voters can trust him,” Alex Wilkes, a senior vice president for America Rising, told BuzzFeed News of the preference to keep Kelly’s YSU speaking fee secret. “It appears he only returned the [$55,000] from the UAE after the press asked about it, and now he’s trying to hide how much money he is making from taxpayer-funded universities.”

Wilkes said her organization is waiting on requests to other public colleges and universities, but so far has seen Kelly contracts range from $25,000 to $48,000. A joint appearance at the University of Akron, not far from Youngstown, cost $80,000, she said.

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This is an excerpt from Buzzfeed News. For the full article click here.