Joe Biden making millions, living in lavish homes since leaving office: report
Critics question Joe Biden's electability
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden maintains lead in polls despite series of campaign controversies; reaction and analysis from Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov and Luke Thompson, National Review contributor.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has raked in millions since leaving office while upgrading his lifestyle substantially, according to a new report -- details that could challenge his 'Middle Class Joe' public persona.
Biden, who was never one of the wealthier members of Congress during his decades as a senator, has seen his fortunes turn considerably since the Obama administration thanks to speeches and book deals, according to The Washington Post.
The Post reported, citing public documents, that Biden was paid as much as $200,000 for some speeches. The former VP’s campaign told the newspaper Biden has given fewer than 50 paid speeches. The ex-vice president also got some pricey perks as part of his speaking gigs, including chartered flights, town cars and professional drivers, luxury hotel suites, and reimbursements, according to the report.
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Meanwhile, Biden has moved into a sprawling mansion outside Washington since leaving the White House.
“Middle Class Joe” now resides in a 12,000-square-foot home in McLean, Virginia, that comes complete with “five bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, marble fireplaces, a gym and a sauna,” the report stated. The Bidens are renting the home, according to the Post, from multi-millionaire Mark Ein.
Zillow estimates rent on the property would set Joe and Jill back almost $20,000 a month.
According to property website Zillow, the mansion -- which was owned by President Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state, Alexander Haig -- is worth almost $5 million.
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In 2017, the Bidens also purchased a beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for almost $3 million.
Fox News contacted the Biden campaign for comment but has not received a response.
The report came after the former vice president last week seemed to challenge the narrative building among some in his party when he argued it wasn't always appropriate to "demonize" rich people.
"I mean, we may not want to demonize anybody who’s made money,” Biden reportedly said during a New York City fundraiser with wealthy donors. According to Bloomberg, Biden seemed to knock Sen. Bernie Sanders', I-Vt., inclination toward "revolution," saying that it wasn't the right way to improve economic well-being.
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“When you have income inequality as large as we have in the United States today, it brews and ferments political discord and basic revolution,” he said.
He also pushed back on the view that wealthy people were "the other" in society and told them "I need you very badly."
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“Remember, I got in trouble with some of the people on my team, on the Democratic side, because I said, you know, what I’ve found is rich people are just as patriotic as poor people," he also said.
Biden, the clear front-runner in the primary battle, is leading Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., in the polls. The latter two were among the most prominent Democrats railing against Wall Street and large corporations while introducing sweeping economic reforms.