It’s good to be the president, to paraphrase Mel Brooks in the movie “History of the World, Part I.”

“Poor” presidents, like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, become immensely rich from book deals and speaking engagements after their time in office. “Rich” presidents do it too. Donald Trump earned more than $12 million in speaking fees and at least $13 million from overseas golf and resort ventures since leaving office. The WSJ reports: “Post-presidency, Trump earned between $150,000 and $2.5 million apiece across 15 speaking engagements, including his American Freedom Tour in Florida and Texas, as well as events with former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.”

We’ve come to accept it as one of the ways politics works. But did you know that Supreme Court justices do it too, and they do it while they are still in office and sitting on cases?

The latest evidence of this comes from the personal wealth reporting from Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

In 2008, her investment wealth was reported at $65,000.

She was appointed to the bench in 2009.

In 2021, she reported her wealth at $6.4 million.

How’d that happen on a judge’s salary? With book deals and public speaking engagements.

She made at least $3.7 million from Penguin Random House in the initial publishing of her books. But here’s the spider in the woodshed: The AP reports that on an ongoing basis the publisher helps arrange speaking engagements at public institutions in which Sodomayor’s staff and the publisher – and there’s no other way to say it and still be honest – strong arms the institutions to buy her books as part of the deal.

So, who really foots the bill in that kind of shakedown? Taxpayers who fund the public institutions.

If that doesn’t raise enough of a red flag for you (and it should), the AP reports that Sodomayor did not recuse herself from multiple cases involving her business partner, Random House.

You gotta wonder how many other judges are ethically challenged in similar ways.

BEANS & BREW

I popped inside Ely’s new coffee joint in town – Beans & Brews in the Ridley’s parking lot. Coffee was good. I tried the house blend one day and the French roast the second. I favored the house, but both were imminently drinkable. The place opens at 5:30 a.m. A big bonus for all you laptop warriors out there: The tables have outlets conveniently located at each table.

Best of luck, Beans & Brews.

HORSERACING

Speaking of Ely, you might want to put Aug. 18-20 on your calendar. That the dates of the White Pine County Fair and horse races. Everything’s a solid green light post COVID. I promise you, this is one of Nevada’s premier events. It’s been going on since the 1920s. The Ely Times (yes, a beautiful Battle Born newspaper) will have all the details. There is an entry fee for Saturday and Sunday, but Friday is free.Loe Marich Softball Complex.

ONE MORE THING

– I saw a bumper sticker that said “I’m a veterinarian, therefore I can drive like an animal.” Suddenly, I realized how many proctologists are on the roads.

– What do you call a gigantic pile of kittens? A meowntain.

– A rancher looked over his field and counted 196 cattle. But when he rounded them up it was 200.

– A UNR researcher grew vocal cords from stem cells. The results speak for themselves.

Thanks for reading and putting up with my lame jokes. Until next week, avoid knuckleheads, laugh a little and always question authority.

“Properly Subversive” is commentary written by Sherman R. Frederick, a Nevada Hall of Fame journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the enhancement and preservation of community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@ gmail.com.