WASHINGTON — (CNN) Carly Fiorina’s campaign on Tuesday refuted reports that the Republican presidential candidate is giving paid speeches amid her campaign, despite a recent pitch sent out by a Washington speakers bureau.
Leading Authorities, which bills itself as “a prominent speakers bureau representing high-profile speakers from politics, business, media and everyday life,” sent word in a “quick, private note,” to at least one prospective client on Tuesday morning that Fiorina would have “limited availability for speaking engagements,” according to an email obtained by CNN.
“Her presentation is a common-sense, solutions-oriented, and optimistic look at what Washington can learn from corporate America and how we can fix our current political climate,” the email reads. “We don’t advertise Carly on the Leading Authorities website, but if you have an interest in booking her for an upcoming meeting or event, please let me know.”
Fiorina spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores quickly disavowed the solicitations as essentially rogue, saying that the candidate is not “accepting any requests during the campaign” and that she “didn’t authorize anything they sent out.”
The speaking offers were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
It is unusual for a presidential candidate to make money on the sidelines while running a presidential campaign, though candidates do frequently market new campaign-themed books during national tours that pad their personal coffers. Many Republicans have criticized Hillary Clinton for accepting many paid speaking engagements as she approached the launch of her presidential campaign.
Fiorina, no stranger to the speaking circuit as a former CEO at Hewlett-Packard, and her husband have a net worth of $59 million, according to her most recent personal financial report.
Fiorina was scheduled for two speaking engagements last month, according to that report released this summer, and Flores said Tuesday that the candidate did appear at a forum for the Young Presidents’ Organization. Flores said the honorarium went to charity.
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