Beck to Donate Speaking Fees From Anchorage Event With Palin

Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin are appearing together at an event this Saturday in Anchorage. The long-scheduled event has drawn great interest for many reasons. The personalities involved. The date (the ninth anniversary of 9/11). And of more recent focus, the ticket prices.

The Associated Press story on Thursday night says this:

Tickets range from $73.75 to $225. Therin Ferrin, with a private contractor that operates the city's convention centers, says all but 800 of 4,500 tickets had been sold.

Numerous Beck critics have seized the opportunity to denounce the event and Beck's participation therein.  The AP sought comment from Beck's Mercury Radio Arts:

Representatives say Glenn Beck will donate his speaking fee from his upcoming appearance with Sarah Palin in Anchorage.

Christopher Balfe, president of Beck's media company, says the fee from Saturday's event at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center will go to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The organization provides scholarships and services to families of military members.

Some will say that Beck is making the move to donate his speaking fee as a way of diluting criticism.  But the full statement from Beck's representative suggests otherwise:

Glenn had always intended to donate the speaking fee from the event on Saturday, September 11th in Alaska to Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Governor Palin is not and was never going to receive a fee for introducing Glenn at this event.

For more on the event see my earlier post here.