Obama begins lucrative turn as Wall Street speaker

The former US president will appear on Monday before a who’s who of the US health care industry at a conference to be held next week by the New York trading firm Cantor Fitzgerald, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. 

He will deliver remarks before answering questions from the audience, they said on condition of anonymity. Obama will discuss his signature 2010 health care reform legislation, known as Obamacare, which Republican lawmakers are still working to dismantle after several failed attempts. 

According to a person briefed on Obama’s planned appearance, he will be paid about $4,00,000. In August, Obama addressed a New York gathering held by the Chicago private banking and wealth management firm Northern Trust. 

Obama received $4,00,000 for his Northern Trust appearance, according to Bloomberg News, which also reported Monday that the former president had made a similar appearance this month at the private equity behemoth Carlyle Group. 

Carlye Group and Northern Trust both declined to comment when contacted by AFP. A spokeswoman for Cantor Fitzgerald confirmed that Obama would attend next week’s event but offered no additional details. 

The speeches are the first Obama has given to Wall Street since leaving the Oval Office on January 20.