- Larry Hogan has earned $157,000 from his paid speaking engagements since his term as governor of Maryland ended.
- Some of that money came after he announced his Senate campaign in February.
- His campaign says he has no plans to give any more paid speeches while he runs for Senate.
Larry Hogan has earned $157,000 from his paid speaking engagements since ending his term as Maryland governor, according to financial disclosure documents filed Sunday.
One of those speeches — a $28,000 appearance alongside former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe at the Self Storage Association’s spring national conference — took place After he launched his GOP Senate campaign on February 9.
“Governor Hogan was committed to hosting a bipartisan event with his friend Terry McAuliffe that would bring hundreds of visitors to Maryland, and he felt it was important to deliver on that commitment,” the spokesperson said. Hogan, Michael Ricci, to Business Insider.
Hogan also received $24,000 for a speech he donated to a gathering of Canadian CEOs on January 23, but he didn’t receive his payment until February 14, after his campaign launched.
Ricci told Business Insider on Monday that Hogan no longer plans to give paid speeches during his campaign for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat.
“It’s not uncommon to capitalize on rhetoric between leaving government and running for higher office,” said Jordan Libowitz, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW). “It’s rare to do that as a candidate.”
Indeed, many figures from both parties have spoken out – and faced scrutiny – for paid speeches in the past, with the most famous case being that of Hillary Clinton. But politicians generally stop giving these speeches once they become active candidates, to avoid appearing to be influenced by special interests.
Business Insider has previously reported on members of both parties, including Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, enriching themselves through the so-called “revolving door” between public and private sectors.
Here are the six speaking payments Hogan has received over the past two years:
July 10, 2023 – $34,000 from the American Property Casualty Insurance Association
July 10, 2023 – $37,000 from Jobs for the Future,
September 25, 2023 – $24,000 from the National Multi-Family Housing Council
November 30, 2023 – $10,000 from LG Ad Solutions
February 14, 2024 – $24,000 from the Business Council of Canada
March 13, 2024 – $28,000 from the Self-Storage Association
Hogan, a moderate Republican who served as governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023, is already very wealthy. According to the disclosure filed Sunday, his value is between $12.3 million and $34 million, much of which comes from real estate throughout Maryland.
As governor, his official salary ranged between $165,000 and $180,000, although he continued to earn millions from his real estate holdings during his term.
Hogan’s surprise entry into the Senate race, coming after years of rejecting the idea of serving in the upper chamber, was a victory for Senate Republicans.
Although he faces an uphill climb in Maryland, Hogan was a popular governor, and Democrats will have to spend more resources defending the state Senate seat in a year when they are already facing an uphill battle to retain control of the upper house.
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