Gonzales leaves little to chance at UF speech

Controversial former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is getting paid $40,000 to speak for one hour Nov. 19 on the topic "Living Legal History: Working with the White House, Department of Justice and Supreme Court," according to the contract reviewed today by Gradebook.

Gonzales is requiring that his talk and the Q and A session to follow be taped "to avoid the possibility of misquotations or contextually misleading quoted remarks" -- protection against the pesky press, we presume?

He originally sought to exclude any press that didn't have written permission from the Greater talent Network, which negotiated his appearance, but UF nixed that, insisting on "reasonable access by the press."

 

Still, Gonzales isn't leaving anything to chance at UF, where they are still getting over that unfortunate "Don't Tase Me Bro" incident at U.S. Sen. John Kerry's speech.

So anyone who wants to ask a question will have to fill out an index card and give it to the moderator, who will decide which ones to use. UF also must provide to the Greater Talent Network 21 days before the speech info including the "audience profile," the name and biography of the person introducing Gonzales, and the "names of persons who have addressed prior similar meetings" of the UF Speakers Bureau.

Hmmm, would that include Andrew Meyer, the UF student who got stunned with the Taser as Kerry watched? If so, we're guessing his index card question would get tossed...

Comments

I wonder if the "don't taze me bro" guy will be there for the q an a?

[Christian Duque]

I think Ron Paul said it best, that to defend this 'empire' overseas and maintaining ourselves in foreign entanglements, that civil liberties at home would begin to suffer.

But civil liberties aside! Why must UF student PAY for the crime? Why is ACCENT (an organization haunted by legacy appointment [w/ Alpha Epsilon Pi] and the mismanagement of the Andrew Meyer tasering, now, submitting to terms that even FORMER U.S. Presidents, guests of UF have not requested in the past? And why in addition to submitting to these absolutely ridiculous terms, is the ousted former attorney general (on bad terms need I not remind all of you), getting top dollar for lower-grade-at-best work?

Only at UF, with it's FBK-backed good ole boy system going back more than 75yrs do you get outfits like ACCENT mismanaging student money and groups like FBK having student money ILLEGALLY allocated to their Gator Growl coffers.

Anyone that's been to UF, is in the least surprised by this - or- Andrew Meyer's "SURPRISE" apology...

Outrageous

[Sisyphus39]

So Freedom of Speech has evolved from guarded chain-linked areas distant from the visiting official to 3 x 5 index cards which can be refused?
And more than a year's wages for a working person is paid for a dishonorable official to speak? There’s not even much he can say; he doesn’t have a memory.
What have we come to? Where are we going?
Andrew Meyer is on probation. 'Nuff said.

I am very disapointed in UF for even thinking of having this lying SOB on their campus.

UF has had lying SOB's speak before. Oliver North was there in the '90s. I have no qualms with that.

Oh, and El Duque - if you don't like the way things are run on campus, then turn the indies out to vote. They FAR outnumber the Greeks.

You are right about it being wrong for FBK to take university funds for Growl. In my day, no self-respecting Key would have stood for that.

indeed!

even contemptiblelyings.o.b.'s deserve a forum at a first rate university

OH!!

we're talking about "fredo" gonzalez, not gwshrub!!

well, even that little lying skumbag deserves his "day in the sh-t"

any truth to the rumor he will be donating his speaking fee to the society for the preservation of the constitution?

[Christian Duque]

Believe me, if I could bring the Indies to the polls by a mere stroke of my hand -- I would! But the situation at UF is very complex, so much so that Indies only win the top spots (and this even doesn't indicate SG control) once every 10-15yrs.

The stranglehold of Florida Blue Key and it's ties to the Inter Fraternity, Pan Hellenic, National Pan-Hellenic, and Greek Multi-Cultural Councils makes for a very powerful socio-political network that Indies have had a very hard time successfully defeating at the polls.

[csbrudy]

Gonzales needs to be in prison. 40K to a guy who helped orchestrate the dismantling of the Bill of Rights. Go Gators.

UNDER the prison!

Gonzales has no problems doing it again to the "don't taze me bro" dude.

Another way to torture - when done enough times.

Obstruction of justice charges pending.

Mr. Duque, I remember you and your intimidation tactics, and you're no more unique than the Greeks you hate. There is always someone like you around, shrieking conspiracy theories to anyone who will listen and criticizing institutions that would never have welcomed you into their ranks. The truth is, if your ideas had any merit or your arguments any articulation, you or any of your identical cohorts would have been able to beat "the system" long ago. Groups with exclusive memberships will always have detractors willing to accuse them of prejudice; that doesn't make the accusations right.