Valerie Jarrett earned $740K as Obama insiders filled top roles during $850M presidential center build

By Fox News · Fox News

As construction nears completion on the long-delayed $850 million Obama Presidential Center , federal tax filings show the Obama Foundation paid CEO Valerie Jarrett $740,000 in 2024 while several former Obama White House officials collected six-figure salaries as foundation executives. The Obama Foundation — which will operate the 19.3-acre center on publicly owned Chicago parkland — paid its CEO more than any other major presidential foundation. Salaries and benefits soared from $18.5 million in 2018 to $43.7 million in 2024, as staffing expanded to 337 employees and annual revenue reached nearly $210 million. Jarrett, one of the Obamas’ closest advisors, took over as CEO in 2021 and is among six of the foundation’s 10 highest-paid executives who previously held senior roles in the Obama administration or campaign, according to a review of the foundation's tax filings from 2018 to 2024. "Illinois Democrats are truly living their best lives — making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to help design the ugliest building in Chicago," Illinois GOP Chairman Kathy Salvi told Fox News. "Their jaw-dropping salaries prove that Illinois’ culture of corruption is alive and well as Barack Obama’s top allies rake in the cash." OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER DEPOSITS JUST $1M INTO $470M RESERVE FUND AIMED TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS Jarrett’s compensation exceeds the most recently reported pay of leaders at several other presidential foundations. The George W. Bush Presidential Center reported CEO compensation of roughly $661,000 in 2024, while the Carter Center and the Reagan Foundation reported pay in the $500,000 range. The Clinton Foundation’s most recent filings show CEO compensation below $500,000. Filings show that Jarrett’s pay accounted for less than 1% of the Obama Foundation’s total expenses in 2024. By comparison, CEO compensation at the George W. Bush Presidential Center represented a larger share of total expenses, while the Carter and Clinton foundations reported lower…