03/16/2026
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Obama faces backlash over volunteer push
The Obama Foundation is under fire for seeking up to 100 unpaid volunteers for the new Obama Presidential Center while CEO Valerie Jarrett earned $740,000 last year. Critics argue the move contradicts the foundation’s civic ideals and raises ethical concerns about nonprofit governance and executive pay. The foundation defends the program as part of its mission, noting it will also employ hundreds of paid staff..
.Volunteer drive sparks outrage over executive pay
The Obama Foundation’s plan to enlist 75–100 unpaid volunteers for the soon-to-open Obama Presidential Center has triggered a wave of criticism. Social media backlash intensified after reports revealed CEO Valerie Jarrett earned about $740,000 in 2024, prompting accusations that the foundation’s request for free labor clashes with its stated values. Critics argue the optics undermine the center’s civic engagement message, especially given its high executive compensation levels.
Outrage as Obama asks free labor from US citizens despite paying his close friend $740K
Obama Presidential Center wants 100 unpaid volunteers — while CEO …
Why the volunteer program is drawing legal and ethical fire
While U.S. nonprofits often depend on volunteers, pairing unpaid roles with high executive salaries has raised governance and transparency concerns. Analysts point to rules under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, requiring that resources serve the public and executive pay be reasonable. Watchdogs warn that politically connected nonprofits, especially those with multiple former administration officials in senior roles, face heightened scrutiny over fiduciary responsibility and com
Obama Centre volunteer controversy raises legal questions about ..
Obama Insider Caught In Massive Alleged Corruption In Obama Library …
Foundation defends civic engagement mission
The Obama Foundation maintains that the volunteer program is consistent with Barack Obama’s long-standing emphasis on community service. Officials stress that the center will also employ hundreds of paid workers and that volunteers will enhance the visitor experience by guiding tours and explaining exhibits. The foundation projects the center will generate $3.1 billion in economic activity over the next decade and support thousands of jobs. The Kenya Times.
Outrage as Obama asks free labor from US citizens despite paying his close friend $740K
From modest staff to multimillion-dollar payroll
The foundation’s workforce and payroll have expanded dramatically as the $850 million center nears completion. Salaries and benefits rose from $18.5 million in 2018 to $43.7 million in 2024, with several former Obama administration officials in senior roles earning between $300,000 and $400,000 annually. Critics, including nonprofit watchdogs, warn of potential nepotism and call for greater transparency in hiring and compensation decisions.
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For your information:
Valerie Jarrett (born November 14, 1956, Shīrāz, Iran) is an American lawyer, businesswoman, and politician who was a senior adviser (2009–17) to U.S. Pres. Barack Obama.Bowman was born in Iran and spent much of her childhood traveling abroad, as her father was a physician who assisted developing countries in establishing health care systems. In 1963 her family settled in Chicago. (Bowman’s grandfather Robert Taylor was the first African American head of the Chicago Housing Authority.) She later attended Stanford University (A.B., 1978) and the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1981). In 1983 she married William Robert Jarrett, a physician; the couple divorced in 1988.
Working in corporate and real estate law until 1987, Jarrett moved into politics when she became deputy counselor for finance and development in the administration of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. After Washington’s death, Jarrett remained with the mayor’s office and accepted several positions in the administration of his successor, Richard M. Daley. She served as Daley’s deputy chief of staff and later as a planning commissioner. Jarrett was also chair of the Chicago Transit Authority from 1995 to 2003, and she served as chairman of the board for the Chicago Stock Exchange from 2004 to 2007. Beginning in 1995, she was executive vice president of the Habitat Company, a property management firm responsible for overseeing portions of Chicago’s public housing system. Jarrett became CEO of the company in 2007.
Jarrett was long associated with Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, whom she had hired as an assistant in 1991 while working for Daley. Jarrett developed an ongoing personal and professional relationship with the couple. She served as the finance chair of Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign and was treasurer of his political action committee. During Obama’s presidential campaign, Jarrett mediated between Obama and members of the African American community who were concerned about the implications of his candidacy, and she also served as an envoy to those who had supported Obama’s primary rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton. After Obama’s election in November 2008, she served as cochair of his transition team. Later that month it was announced that Jarrett had been appointed senior adviser to Obama.
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Humor:
Will the library be a front?
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