INTERNACIONAL
Income inequality at Obama Foundation, as brass thrives and rank and file seeks union
FIRST ON FOX: The beleaguered Obama Foundation has an income inequality problem: While half of its employees earn six-figure salaries, led by CEO Valerie Jarrett at $771,000, dozens at the other end of the scale are fighting for union representation.
The workplace disparity comes to light just as Digital reported that the long-delayed Obama Presidential Center’s price tag hit $1 billion — nearly triple the original estimate for the Chicago facility. The Obama Foundation, former President Barack Obama’s private nonprofit, reported 172 employees receiving more than $100,000 in salary in its 2025 tax filing — roughly half its 342 reported employees.
Jarrett, one of former President Barack Obama’s closest advisors and a former senior White House official, has led the Obama Foundation since 2021, overseeing the final years of construction of the Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side.
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Her total pay rose by around $15,500 from 2024 and she is one of at least four of the nonprofit’s 10 highest-paid executives with previous ties to the Obama White House or campaign.
«The Foundation pays our employees rates that are competitive with the market,» Emily Bittner, the Obama Foundation’s vice president of communications, told Digital. «We have more than 500 employees worldwide, roughly 300 of whom are based at the Center.»
The current workforce of more than 500 is substantially larger than the 342 employees reported in the Obama Foundation’s 2025 tax filing, which covers the year ending nearly six months before the Presidential Center opened in June. The nonprofit did not provide an updated payroll breakdown.
The Obama Foundation saw its annual payroll and benefits bill come in at $50.4 million in 2025, soaring from $18.5 million in 2018. The nonprofit brought in approximately $159 million in revenue last year, of which nearly $151 million consisted of contributions and grants.
The spending surge came as the Obama Foundation expanded its leadership and civic programs at home and abroad while racing to finish the beleaguered Presidential Center. The sprawling 19.3-acre campus sits on publicly owned parkland in Chicago’s Jackson Park.
Brian Mittendorf, an accounting professor at Ohio State University who specializes in nonprofit finances, said the proportion of Obama Foundation employees earning more than $100,000 stood out compared with a typical nonprofit, but noted that the organization relies heavily on specialized staff.
«That’s clearly higher percentage than your average nonprofit,» Mittendorf told Digital. «But here we’re dealing with a nonprofit that’s probably very expertise heavy. It’s very heavy on like the think tank side. And as you look at a think tank, it would look very differently than say a local food bank.»
Mittendorf said the Obama Foundation’s employees likely possess specialized skills that could command substantial pay elsewhere.
«So it does reflect that a lot of their employees are ones that they would consider having an outside opportunity that would justify them getting paid at that level,» he said. «Like I said, it is atypical for a standard nonprofit, but probably not that unusual for a nonprofit of its type.»
The Obama Foundation also reported a higher proportion of employees receiving more than $100,000 than five other presidential nonprofits examined by Digital.
Roughly half its reported workforce exceeded that threshold in 2025, compared with 37% at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, 29% at the Carter Center, 23% at the Clinton Foundation, 13% at the Reagan Foundation and 10% at the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, according to their respective 2024 tax filings, the most recent available for the review.
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Jarrett’s salary rose from approximately $581,000 when she took over as CEO in 2021 to $740,000 in 2022, remaining at that level through 2024 before climbing to nearly $755,000 in 2025.
For comparison, Digital reviewed the latest available tax filings from five other major presidential foundations, all of which reported lower CEO salaries than Jarrett’s $771,000 in 2025.
The Reagan Foundation paid its CEO approximately $735,000 and the Carter Center $531,000 for fiscal years ending in 2025, while the George W. Bush Presidential Center paid its top officer $661,000, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation $426,600 and the Clinton Foundation $425,000 for 2024.
Beyond Jarrett, several former Obama administration officials continued to collect hefty six-figure paychecks at the Obama Foundation.
Christina Tchen, former chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama, received approximately $431,000 in salary in 2025, while Michael Strautmanis, a former Obama campaign and White House aide, collected approximately $404,000. Laura Lucas Magnuson, a former White House communications official, received approximately $396,000.
Other top earners included Robbin Cohen, who received approximately $666,000. Cohen previously led Pritzker Realty Group, founded by billionaire Democratic donor and former Obama commerce secretary Penny Pritzker, a cousin of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Former Cook County chief financial officer Ammar Rizki received approximately $400,000.
The Obama Foundation defended its executive salary practices.
«The Board of Directors uses comparability data and a compensation consultant to review and approve the compensation of the CEO, officers and key employees on an annual basis,» Bittner told Digital.
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The nonprofit also pointed to higher pay for top executives at other major charitable institutions, including approximately $2 million for the Getty Trust’s president and CEO, $1.7 million for the Rockefeller Foundation’s president and $1.5 million for the Mellon Foundation’s president, citing figures from their recent tax filings.
The Getty Trust, however, operates on a vastly different financial scale, with a multibillion-dollar endowment compared with the Obama Foundation’s approximately $14.2 million in reported endowment funds at the end of 2025.
Asked whether Jarrett’s pay was excessive, Mittendorf said the answer was subjective, particularly given the Obama Foundation’s size and financial resources.
«This is not an unusual amount that to see for a highest paid employee for a director or a CEO,» he said, noting the nonprofit’s net assets exceeded $1 billion.
Mittendorf acknowledged, however, that substantial executive pay at charitable organizations can attract criticism.
«So I think you see criticism from time to time of executive directors that get paid at this level, not that they could not get paid similar amounts in the private sector, but that there is a belief that in the nonprofit sector, the pay should not just reflect what you would get in the public sector, but something more modest,» he said.
«It’s quite common, though, for an organization of this size.»
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Bob Grogan, a longtime critic of the Obama Foundation’s use of public parkland for the private organization, accused the nonprofit of enriching Obama’s inner circle at taxpayers’ expense.
«The Obama Center is another far-left political operation that acts as a non-profit while using taxpayer dollars to make Barack Obama’s inner circle rich,» Grogan told Digital.
The Obama Foundation maintains that construction of the Presidential Center was privately funded and that its operating costs are covered by revenues and private donations. Public funds have also supported infrastructure improvements surrounding the campus.
The hefty executive paychecks come as rank-and-file Obama Foundation employees push to unionize, alleging rolled-back benefits and mounting workloads. Workers also claim deteriorating conditions have driven experienced colleagues to leave, taking valuable institutional knowledge with them and piling more work onto those who remain.
The employees, organized under Obama Workers United with AFSCME Council 31, include visitor services and cleaning staff, museum and technology workers, and employees involved in the nonprofit’s educational and global programs.
«Amidst increasing workloads we have seen our benefits rolled back and support from leadership to be minimal,» the workers wrote in a public letter.
SUBCONTRACTORS SAY THEY’RE OWED MILLIONS, FACE FINANCIAL RUIN, AFTER HELPING BUILD OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
The workers also urged Obama Foundation leadership to respect their right to organize and refrain from spending money on anti-union lawyers, messaging or meetings.
The Obama Foundation said it supports employees’ right to organize.
«We are deeply committed to the fundamental right of workers to organize and make their voices heard,» the nonprofit said in a statement to Digital. «As members of our staff explore union representation, we approach this process with immense gratitude for their contributions, deep respect for unions, and a sincere commitment to working collaboratively with our partners in labor.»
politics, barack obama, fox news investigates, chicago, fund raising, michelle obama, taxes
INTERNACIONAL
California diners are cutting back as costs soar — but restaurant owner reveals one trend that’s booming
Happy hour is becoming the main event for some California diners as the state’s high cost of living pushes more customers to seek out discounted meals instead of paying full price for a night out.
Chef Alex Carballo of Grand Restaurant Group told Digital that happy hour once accounted for an estimated 5% to 8% of his business. Now, that figure has climbed to nearly 30%, even as customers cut back on dining out.
«My happy hour has increased a lot, so I think people are looking for deals and looking for options,» Carballo said.
The shift reflects a broader affordability squeeze across California where residents told Digital that rising costs for housing, groceries and gasoline are forcing them to rethink everyday spending.
California has the highest overall price levels in the nation, according to 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, with prices running roughly 11% above the national average. But affordability pressures extend far beyond the Golden State, as Americans nationwide grapple with elevated costs for housing, groceries and other everyday necessities.
NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER
Carballo said customers are visiting his restaurants less frequently, with some scaling back how often they eat out.
«They’re going out three times a week, where they were coming out to see me four or five [times]. And the people that used to see three times a week, they’re only coming out once,» he said.
What was once a stop for drinks or appetizers before dinner is increasingly becoming the dinner itself, Carballo said.
«Now it’s like, that’s where they’re going and they’re hitting those scenes,» he said.
Customers can still enjoy the same food, service and atmosphere at lower prices, Carballo said, making happy-hour deals particularly appealing.
But those discounts also create challenges for restaurant operators who are already grappling with rising expenses.
«I’m still paying the same amount for food. I’m still paying the employees. My rent didn’t change. Nothing changed. Only thing I’m doing is trying to discount my product to gain people to come here,» Carballo said.
AMERICANS SAY TIPPING PRACTICES ‘HAVE BECOME RIDICULOUS’ AS DIGITAL PROMPTS PUSH HIGHER GRATUITIES
Digital also spoke with residents in Southern California who described making financial trade-offs that extend well beyond restaurants.
Jonas, a Santa Monica resident who is planning a wedding with his fiancée, said he and his fiancée are reevaluating their budget as everyday expenses continue to add up.
«Certainly gas is expensive, rent is high, and then grocery prices are pretty high as well,» Jonas said.
He estimated that he spends approximately $100 a week on groceries and said rising costs are influencing their decisions about dining out and transportation.
The couple is «eating out a little bit less,» Jonas said, adding that he has also started walking to work to «save money on gas as well.»
«I think that people are just seeing prices go up everywhere, and feeling like they’re getting less than what they had four years ago maybe,» he said. «I think everybody’s really feeling that.»
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For some Californians, the financial strain has gone beyond cutting back on restaurants.
Justin, a California native from Glendora who moved to Las Vegas seven years ago, told Digital that the state’s high cost of living was one of the reasons he left.
«Affordability is crazy,» Justin said while visiting Los Angeles for a Rams game.
«I left seven years ago and I thought gas and you know rent was high then,» he said. «Here I am seven years later and it’s … one of the reasons why I’m in Vegas now. It’s just unaffordable.»
Justin said many of his friends who remain in California are still struggling with housing costs.
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«90% of my friends are living with a roommate. It is really hard to live alone here,» he said.
Housing remains another major affordability challenge in the Golden State. Just 19% of California households could afford the state’s median-priced home of $916,750 in the second quarter of 2026, according to the California Association of Realtors.
In Venice, resident Tatiana described rising expenses across everything from gasoline to groceries and neighborhood restaurants.
«Everything is more expensive, gas is more expensive, food,» she told Digital. «There’s really very few affordable restaurants left on Abbot Kinney. Even our local co-op prices have gone up at least 15%. Everything costs more.»
«We’re not getting any breaks in California,» she said.
california, economy, san diego, costs, inflation, restaurants
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A former U.S. diplomat appeared in court in South Korea Friday facing charges of defamation against President Lee Jae Myung for comments made on American soil in a case that has left him stranded in the Asian country.
Morse Tan’s troubles began after he delivered a talk in June 2025 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and responded to a question where he brought up the South Korean leader’s alleged involvement in a crime as an adolescent.
Since visiting the country in May, Tan has not been allowed to leave due to the case against him, having been charged under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc., and the Criminal Act.
Tan issued his remarks about Lee’s alleged juvenile crimes at a National Press Club event titled: «Report on Election Fraud in the June 3 South Korean Presidential election.» In response to a question about President Lee and other issues, Tan responded by citing allegations from a few years back that Lee was involved in a gang rape and murder when he was a teenager. He added that Lee, now 62, was sent to a juvenile detention center and did not complete junior high and high school.
SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT JUMPS TO INVEST IN MILITARY AFTER TRUMP CUTS JOINT EXERCISES
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a press conference on his G7 trip at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)
South Korean prosecutors say the criminal allegations against Lee are unsubstantiated, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. The outlet wrote that they said Lee had not «been prevented from attending middle or high school due to such a criminal record.»
Another South Korean news outlet, KBS World reported that «the prosecution previously verified that there was no record of Lee’s being incarcerated at a juvenile detention center and concluded that the rumors about his incarceration were false.»
Asia Business Daily reported that Tan’s attorney said that «Even if jurisdiction is recognized, the statements did not present false information, and Tan was not aware that they were false,» adding, «He had no intention to defame.»
Tan told Fox News Digital on Friday that he «pleaded not guilty because I believe that Lee Jae Myung is guilty» during his hearing at the Seoul Central District Court.
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Amb. Morse Tan during a press conference outside the court in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 16, 2026. (Morse Tan)
Tan, who has taught constitutional law and served as the dean of Liberty University’s law school, told Fox News Digital his «protected speech is about as protected as it gets.» He said South Korea’s prosecutor invoked «criminal defamation, a dubious category which does not exist in the U.S.,» to prosecute him.
A spokesperson for the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. told Fox News Digital, «This case is being handled in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, established principles and due process in the Republic of Korea and the restriction on departure is also imposed and reviewed accordingly.»
Tan says he is disappointed that the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Michelle Steel, a former Republican congresswoman from California, has not publicly commented on Tan’s legal case — both Steel and Tan are Korean-Americans.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
«The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,» the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. «Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time.»
Tan said the case against him violated his due process rights, and the South Korean judicial system lacks jurisdiction to bring the case. He added that the second charge against him involves his July 2025 talk in South Korea, where he «raised some issues as questions» involving the president. «This is political lawfare. This is a persecution, not a prosecution,» he said.
TRUMP SHOULD PRESS XI ON CHINA’S PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS AT HOME AND ABROAD
Amb. Morse Tan addressing supporters near the courthouse in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 16, 2023. (Morse Tan)
Tan believes the motivation for seeking to criminalize his free speech stems from the South Korean government’s view of him as a «threat» and an outspoken critic of Lee’s alleged appeasement policy toward the North Korean communist regime.
«People consider me to be leading a movement against the communizing of South Korea,» Tan said.
Tan accused the present government of being aligned with North Korean and Chinese communist regimes «against the U.S. and the Korean people.»
Tan points to bias against him by South Korean authorities, who he says prohibited him from attending the funeral of his grandmother, while it allows South Korean prisoners to attend funerals for family members.
KBS World reported that the «Police, who had initially decided not to hand over Tan’s case to the prosecution, launched a reinvestigation at the prosecution’s request.»
Ambassador Morse Tan pictured during his tenure at the State Department in President Donald Trump’s first term. Tan served as the Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of Global Criminal Justice. (US State Department)
National Review Online also reported that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Cyber dismissed a complaint about Tan’s alleged defamatory statements in April 2026, declaring «no right to prosecute.»
According to South Korean law, Tan could face a prison term if found guilty.
south korea, north korea, first amendment, national security, state department
INTERNACIONAL
El exjefe de la Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria de Guatemala, Juan Francisco Solórzano, es asesinado en el Campo Marte
El abogado Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa, exjefe de la Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria, fue asesinado el sábado 17 de octubre durante un ataque armado en las canchas del Campo Marte, en la zona 5 de la Ciudad de Guatemala. El hecho dejó un segundo fallecido, identificado como Gustavo Adolfo Aguilar Gamarra, de 52 años, y al menos tres personas heridas mientras se realizaba una actividad deportiva.
Los Bomberos Municipales recibieron varias llamadas a la línea 123 que alertaban sobre disparos dentro del complejo deportivo. Al llegar, los paramédicos encontraron a dos hombres sin signos vitales, con múltiples heridas provocadas por proyectiles de arma de fuego.
Las víctimas tenían entre 40 y 45 años, según la primera evaluación de los socorristas. Las ambulancias trasladaron a tres heridos a un centro asistencial para recibir atención médica.
El ataque ocurrió en una de las canchas del Campo Marte mientras Solórzano Foppa participaba en un partido de fútbol junto con su asistente y otras personas, de acuerdo con información preliminar. En el lugar quedó el cuerpo del exfuncionario junto al de Aguilar Gamarra.
La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) informó la captura de dos personas vinculadas de manera preliminar con el ataque. La institución también indicó que fue incautada un arma de fuego, aunque no divulgó la identidad de los detenidos ni precisó cuál habría sido su participación.
Despues de confirmarse el hecho, el presidente Bernardo Arévalo, utilizo su red social X por medio de la cual expreso “repudio enérgicamente el cobarde asesinato del exfiscal Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa. Sus autores, materiales e intelectuales, deben pagar las consecuencias con todo el peso de la ley: todas las instituciones públicas deben cooperar para que este crimen se castigue”.
Además indica que ha girado instrucciones a las instituciones del ejecutivo para actuar de inmediato, coordinarse con las autoridades competentes y poner todas sus capacidades al servicio del esclarecimiento de este crimen. Quienes creen que el terror puede intimidar al pueblo de Guatemala y al gobierno que dirijo, se equivocan. En honor a Foppa, en honor a nuestra patria, en honor a la justicia.
Un ataque durante una jornada deportiva
El Campo Marte es un complejo deportivo situado en la zona 5 capitalina que Solórzano Foppa frecuentaba desde hacía 15 años. En un video publicado en septiembre, el abogado había contado que jugaba fútbol allí durante los fines de semana.
El sector fue acordonado tras los disparos, mientras las autoridades iniciaban las diligencias para recopilar indicios y establecer la secuencia del crimen. Hasta el momento, no se han informado el posible móvil ni las circunstancias en las que los atacantes llegaron a la cancha.
La identidad de Solórzano Foppa fue confirmada por autoridades de socorro tras la llegada de un equipo periodístico de Soy502 a la escena. El exfuncionario tenía 43 años al momento de su muerte.
En sus redes sociales, Solórzano Foppa publicaba opiniones sobre asuntos políticos y judiciales. También había denunciado presuntos vínculos entre pandillas y figuras políticas, además de referirse a estructuras criminales.
La trayectoria de Solórzano Foppa en la función pública
Solórzano Foppa era abogado y notario, con más de 15 años de experiencia como funcionario público. Hizo carrera fiscal en el Ministerio Público, donde fundó y dirigió la Dirección de Análisis Criminal y ocupó la Dirección de Investigaciones Criminalísticas.
Posteriormente fue superintendente de la Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria (SAT), cargo al que llegó como la persona más joven en ocupar esa posición. También integró los Bomberos Municipales durante más de 13 años.
Después de dejar la SAT, se dedicó al ejercicio profesional como abogado litigante y participó en procesos judiciales de alto perfil. En los últimos días actuaba como defensor de una extrabajadora del Ministerio Público procesada por la compra de un edificio para esa institución.
El abogado también representaba a la exfiscal general Thelma Aldana, vinculada a ese mismo expediente judicial. Su actividad profesional se extendía a casos relacionados con criminalidad organizada y a opiniones públicas sobre la coyuntura nacional.
La investigación deberá determinar quiénes participaron en el ataque, cómo se produjo el ingreso de los agresores al complejo deportivo y cuál fue el motivo del asesinato. La PNC no ha difundido información adicional sobre los dos detenidos ni sobre el estado de las tres personas que resultaron heridas.
retrato,oficina,traje
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El Índice de Incertidumbre Económica de septiembre alcanzó el nivel más alto de 2026, según la UCA
