Ezra Klein faces social media backlash over $40,000 to $70,000 speaking fees

New York Times columnist Ezra Klein faced backlash on social media after he published details showing users were being charged between $40,000 and $70,000 for paid conversations.

Klein’s speaking fees, Washington Speakers Bureau websiteIt ignited a firestorm on X this week, with critics slamming the liberal columnist and podcaster for pricing.

One of the main complaints from users was that Klein, whose work often focuses on inequality and wealth distribution in America, charged more for speaking engagements than many middle-class Americans earn in a year.

“You can hire Ezra Klein to speak to your company at a very low price. roughly equivalent to the average annual income of a family of four, but remember, every time a Clinton or Obama gave a paid speech, there was a Chernobyl-level meltdown in the press.” one user wrote.

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“For just $40,000 to $70,000, you can hear Ezra Klein’s ‘trademark depth of political knowledge and academic research’ in person,” writes X user Sam Haselby.

Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald said it was “plainly ridiculous” to pay such a large sum of money to hear Klein’s “vapid, DNC donor-pleasing, liberal clichés.”

Other X users seemed to share a similar sentiment as Greenwald; One user said Klein’s “only skill is selling the talking points of the donor class to liberals through columns and podcasts, and donors reward him for that by paying him $70,000 an hour.”

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As reported by the New York Post, Industry listings and Washington Speakers Bureau data show that prominent broadcast journalists regularly charge speaking fees of over $100,000; this seems to be something relatively unspoken by most critics. The source added that Klein’s pay of $40,000 to $70,000 puts him in the mid-tier price tier among his peers, according to industry sources.

Although Klein charged what appeared to be the industry norm for speaking engagements, he argued that many dissident columnists were not just overpaid relative to their colleagues but that the appearance of pay was not favorable to them.

“Abundance,” a children’s book co-written by Klein, found that Democrats were losing power in part because party leaders imposed excessive regulations that slowed development in critical sectors such as housing and infrastructure.

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Journalist Eugene Scott wrote that it was understandable that people were shocked to see how much Klein charged for a short speech, especially considering “how many people earn less than $70,000 a year.”

While many criticized the columnist’s speaking fees, others defended Klein and questioned why critics were surprised that he would do what so many politicians and broadcasters do: charge for speaking engagements.

Author Jill Filipovic stated that she was “genuinely confused” by the reaction and questioned whether critics objected to paid speeches in general or only when the speaker was someone they disliked.

When contacted by the New York Post for comment on the backlash, a spokesperson for The New York Times told the publication: “Ezra is a tremendous talent whose interviews and columns shape political discourse. He adheres to our ethical standards, including the rules governing paid speaking opportunities.”

“Times journalists are frequently invited to talk about their work and expertise, and our standards ensure that such opportunities are appropriate,” the spokesperson added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Klein for comment.

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