Cal State Paid Palin $75,000

MODESTO, Calif. (CN) - California State University at Stanislaus paid Sarah Palin $75,000 plus first-class round-trip airfare and expenses for a 30-minute speech, with no time for questions and strict control of the media. A Superior Court judge ordered Cal State to release a copy of the contract for Palin's speech at a June fund raiser.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Roger Beauchesne found that CSU Stanislaus had violated the California Public Records Act by not disclosing documents related to Palin's campus appearance.

Californians Aware, a nonprofit watchdog, sued Cal State Stanislaus in April after college officials refused to disclose Palin's contract for the speech she gave at its 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner on June 25.

In fact, Judge Beauchesne wrote in his order, one university official responded to the nonprofit's request by denying that the contract existed.

The contract, drafted by the Washington Speaker's Bureau, lists Palin's fee as $75,000 for a 30-minute speech with no time for questions, and stipulates that the university be responsible for Palin's first-class roundtrip airfare. The university also agreed to arrange for Palin's security and pay for all meals and hotel expenses, including phone, fax and Internet charges. Palin also required that no spotlights be shown directly on her, but rather on her notes.

The contract contains stipulations for the media: "Local media will be permitted to cover the presentation portion of this event and they are permitted to record the first 3 minutes of Gov. Palin's remarks for b-roll footage (video, no audio). A mult box will be used for this media recording and no other recordings by the media will be permitted." (A mult box connects a microphone to a mixing board to permit multiple copies.)

A contract addendum adds: "All press releases, which mention the speaker, must be submitted to WSB for approval."

Follow @MariaDinzeo

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit