Pricey Palin tix raise tea party eyebrows

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Steep ticket prices for Sarah Palin's appearance at an upcoming tea party movement convention in Nashville are causing controversy, Politico reported Tuesday.

The publication said documents indicate Palin is charging $100,000 per appearance, and with tickets to attend next month's first-ever tea party convention costing $549 apiece, plus a $9.95 fee, some of the grassroots conservative activists are reportedly complaining they're being priced out.

"I'm hearing through sources Sarah Palin is getting $75K to speak at this tea party convention," Politico quoted conservative blogger Dan Riehl as writing recently. "That's a lot of damned tea."

During her first appearance as an analyst on Fox News Channel Tuesday, Palin said organizers offered to pay her for the speech but she said, "I will not financially be gaining anything from this."

"More important than money in my pocket from an event like that is being able to turn it right back around and contribute to campaigns, candidates and issues that will help our country," Palin said.

Anthony Shreeve, a Tennessee tea party organizer who reportedly quit the convention's steering committee, told Politico "most tea party people won't be there because they can't afford it."

"The tea party movement is a grassroots movement; it's not a business," Shreeve said.

Conference organizer Judson Phillips declined to discuss the matter of fees with Politico as did Palin's aides.

Conservative political consultant Greg Mueller defended the reported arrangement.

"She's in demand as a best-selling author, a former governor and a former GOP VP candidate and is capitalizing on that demand while she decides what's next for her," he said.