On his radio show, Bill Cunningham asked conservative columnist Michelle Malkin whether Michelle Obama's University of Chicago Medical Center “salary triple[d]” for working “the same job” “when her husband became a U.S. senator.” Malkin replied by citing a chart from her book which falsely claimed that the first lady's salary was $317,000 from 2005 to 2008. In fact, Obama's salary did not increase for working “the same job” -- in 2005, she received nearly $317,000 because of her promotion to vice president, which came with an increase in responsibility, as well as a one-time bonus and pension payout.
Malkin, Cunningham push false claim that Michelle Obama's “salary triple[d]” for working “same job” after husband elected to Senate
Published
From the August 2 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' Live on Sunday Night, It's Bill Cunningham:
CUNNINGHAM: And Michelle, didn't her salary triple when her husband became a U.S. senator?
MALKIN: Absolutely --
CUNNINGHAM: For the same job?
MALKIN: And you know what? The book is worth the price just for the chart on page 65 that shows how her salary tripled after Barack Obama elected -- was elected to the Senate. And, of course, we know what happened to this job that she had at the University of Chicago Medical Center after she left for the White House with her husband. Guess what? It was so important that they decided not to even fill it again after she left.
CUNNINGHAM: Well, she went from 120 to 317. And when I was reading your book this afternoon, you make a powerful statement on page 188, and I think this demonstrates the hypocrisy of Barack Hussein Obama perhaps more than anything else.
From page 65 of Malkin's book, Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies (Regnery, 2009):
Michelle Obama received pay raise when promoted to vice president
Obama was promoted to vice president of community affairs and head of hospitals' “business diversity program”: In announcing her promotion, the University of Chicago Medical Center noted her new title and additional responsibilities: “Michelle Obama has been appointed vice president for community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals. Obama, who was previously the executive director for community affairs at the Hospitals, will be responsible for all programs and initiatives that involve the relationship between the Hospitals and the community. She will also take over management of the Hospitals' business diversity program.” [University of Chicago Medical Center press release; 5/09/05]
Obama's new salary was reportedly in line with those of other hospital vice presidents: According to the Chicago Sun-Times, University of Chicago Hospitals “spokesman John Easton said Obama's salary was in line with the compensation received by the not-for-profit medical center's 16 other vice presidents. A tax return for the hospitals covering the 12 months ended June 30, 2005, shows most of the organization's vice presidents earning between $291,000 and $362,000.” (Chicago Sun-Times; 9/27/06)
Michelle Obama made $316,962 for only one year, not three as Malkin writes
Obama's 2005 payment of nearly $317,000 included a one-time pension payout and signing bonus. FactCheck.org reported that in an email, Easton said that the $316,962 the University of Chicago Hospitals paid Obama in 2005 is “misleading” because “the figure 'also includes a performance bonus, a one-time signing bonus (she had other, competing offers at the time), and a one-time mandatory payout from a terminated retirement plan.' ”[Barack and Michelle Obama's 2005 federal tax return; FactCheck.org, 5/17/09]
UC Hospitals paid Obama $273,618 in 2006: The Obamas' 2006 federal tax returns show that University of Chicago Hospitals paid Michelle Obama $273,618 in 2006. [Barack and Michelle Obama's 2006 federal tax return]
UC Hospitals paid Obama $103,633 in 2007: According to the Obamas' 2007 federal tax returns, University of Chicago Hospitals paid Michelle Obama $103,633 that year. FactCheck.org reported that according to Easton, in FactCheck.org's words, “Mrs. Obama didn't reduce her work schedule from full time to part time until 2007 when it became clear that her husband would run for president.” Easton reportedly wrote in his email: “As she reduced her hours, beginning early in 2007, her salary decreased proportionately...She switched to half time shortly before her husband formally announced his campaign, then to 20% later that year and to 0% in 2008.” (Barack and Michelle Obama's 2007 federal tax return; FactCheck.org, 5/17/09)
UC Hospitals paid Obama $62,709 in 2008: According to Barack and Michelle Obama's 2008 federal income tax returns, Michelle Obama was paid $62,709 by the University of Chicago Hospitals in 2008. FactCheck.org reported that, according to Easton, Michelle Obama “took an 'unpaid leave of absence to work on her husband's presidential campaign' in 2008,” and the $62,709 payment “consists of accumulated but unused vacation time plus the final payout from a supplemental executive retirement plan.” [Barack and Michelle Obama's 2008 federal tax return; FactCheck.org, 5/17/09]